


Pretending to be Dating

by inabodycastofglass



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Canonical Character Death, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Pretending to Be Gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-25 23:04:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 28,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6213703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabodycastofglass/pseuds/inabodycastofglass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason drags Nico into a fake relationship in order to help out Thalia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No Way This Could End Well.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this over six months ago and posted it on my tumblr.

Nico stared at Will as he ran through his apartment, grabbing this thing or that, not quite realizing that he’d yet to fully dress himself. He had wanted to wait and see how long it took him to notice, but seeing as he was about to run out the door.

“Will.”

He stopped, turning to Nico with a grin. “Yeah?”

Nico pointed at his front, moving his finger up and down to signify Will’s entire body. “You might want to try buttoning up.”

Will made a weird sound and turned from Nico to take care of his pants and shirt.

“Thanks. That would have been embarrassing.”

Nico smiled down at his bowl. “Sure.”

“All right, I’m heading out.”

He gave Will a casual wave, though it was wasted as the door was already closing behind him.

When he heard the door at the end of the hallway close, he picked up his bowl and poured the contents into the toilet. He then went through and gathered his stuff. He hated being there when Cecil got home, and having to sit through those knowing stares, even though Will assured him up and down it was fine for him to stay. It was better just to go home after Will left.

He changed from his pajama bottoms and back into his Jeans from the day before, noticing that his phone was vibrating. When he saw that it was Jason, he put it back in his pocket and finished what he was doing.

After putting Will’s key in his mailbox and exiting the building, he decided to check those messages. He found, after opening the last one, that there were seven.

They were unclear as to the exact problem, but it appeared that Jason had gotten into some sort of argument with his step-mother. The last message read, “Meet me asap 911”, dated two hours ago.

Nico rolled his eyes at the dramatics, but knew this could wind up being a really big deal. Jason had never fought with his family before.

He responded to meet him at their cafe and changed direction.

Jason arrived before Nico did, though he was closer, and was already sitting down.

Nico dropped his bag on the ground by his chair. “I’m getting a drink. You need something to calm you down.”

Jason looked up from where his head had been planted on the table. He looked pale. “Nico.”

“Don’t whine. I’ll listen to what you have to say. But first, a drink.” He snapped his fingers a few times. “Up.”

Jason followed him, his nearly perfect posture ruined by his mood. He looked extremely awkward slouching, but Nico didn’t comment on it.

“All right, what’s wrong?”

Jason fell into his seat, a small bit of his tea jumping out of the hole in the lid. “I really messed up.”

Nico handed him a napkin. “That’s uncharacteristically vague of you.”

“So, Thal came out to dad and June as bi yesterday.”

“Bet June took that well.”

“She freaked. I heard her screaming from my room.”

“So, of course, you came to her rescue.”

Jason rubbed his entire face in both hands. “Pretty much.”

“Why do I get the feeling there’s no ‘pretty much’ about it?”

Jason groaned. His elbows slid outwards, away from each other, and his head followed his hands, closer to the table. “Because there’s not.”

“That’s because you insist on being a hero.” Nico took a drink. “Even though Thalia has no reliance on your family like you do, and can take care of herself. So what did you do?”

“Well, at first I just argued that they were being ignorant and that Thal’s still Thal. But June just kept screaming about family and children. She wasn’t even listening. I tried telling her that she could have children, or adopt, and gay marriage is legal. But June was just so angry she wasn’t even listening. And Thal was yelling back that she was homophobic, and calling her names. And it just turned into a giant mess.”

Nico stared at him with his brows lowered, his cup resting against his bottom lip “So what did you do?”

Jason looked at him from between his fingers. “I told them that I’m also bi.”

Nico choked on his drink when he inhaled, slammed his cup down, and alternated between coughing and trying to breathe for two whole minutes, until a few people around them stood awkwardly, fighting with their morality and disassociation, trying to decide if they should help him. When he finally managed to breathe fairly regularly he turned on Jason. “Are you crazy? You’re ridiculously straight. You’re so straight you’ve never even felt insecure in your heterosexuality.”

“I know, I know. But it just came out.” He took his seat again. “You should have seen the looks on their faces.”

He could imagine them. “So you need a place to crash for a while?”

Jason leant back, pushing on the edge of the table so his chair was balancing on two legs. “Not exactly.”

“This story gets worse?”

“A little.” Jason held his index finger and thumb about an inch apart.

“What did you do, Grace?”

“It’s really not that bad.”

“Then why are you stalling?”

“I’m not.”

“Then tell me what you did.”

“You’re gonna laugh.”

“I doubt that.”

“No, really. It’s kinda funny.”

“Jason Grace, I swear to god.”

“Okay, okay. I kinda, sorta, told them we were dating.”

“You what?” He pushed himself to his feet, his chair making a loud scraping sound as it was shoved back.

Jason shushed him loudly, looking around and seeing that everyone in the cafe, the staff included, had turned to look at them. “It’s not that bad.”

“Not that- Grace, you not only lied about being bi to your step-mum, but you brought me into your lie. That’s pretty bad.”

“You’re the only guy I know who’s out.”

“And that makes it okay?”

“No, of course not. It just happened. But, Nico, look. June likes me. She won’t kick me out for something like this. But she and Thal have never got along. And she could convince dad to disown her. But she can’t reason doing that to her and not me for the same reason.”

“That’s a pretty big risk to take in the hopes that June of all people would be okay with it.”

Jason shrugged, looking stiff. “She may not like that I’m the kid of the woman dad cheated on her with, but she did raise me. Even if part of what she feels is obligation, I’m still the closest thing to a child she has.”

Nico sat down slowly. He could feel his head started to pound. “So why not just say you like guys and leave it at that? Why drag me into it?”

“There’s no way she’d believe me if I didn’t say I was already with someone.”

“Okay, so why me? I mean, I understand Percy’s getting married, but why not someone like Leo? That flirting with every girl who exists is a no homo tactic if I ever saw one.”

“You know she wouldn’t have believed I was dating Leo. Neeks, come on. Please. Just for a while, pretend to be my boyfriend. You’re not dating anyone, right?”

Nico thought about will, and about sleeping on his couch the night before after their movie. He clenched his jaw. “No.”

“So please? For Thal.”

Nico sighed, slouching in his chair, his head on the back. That was the final nail on the coffin. He liked Thalia. She was the only person aside from Hazel who understood his inbred dark nature, even if her brand was a little different, and the fact that they were both runaways gave Nico a sense of connection with her.

“Thank you, Nico.”

“Can I at least tell Hazel.”

“No.” He sounded desperate. “You can’t tell anyone. This needs to be believable. Everyone’s reactions have to be real.”

Nico didn’t like the idea of lying to Hazel. At all. She would be hurt.

But she would forgive him, once she found out it was for Thalia. She could understand helping others. She had a similar sense of protectiveness as him.

He didn’t want to even think about Will.

“Fine, Grace. Let’s do this. But you owe me, for the rest of our lives.”

“Absolutely. You are the best, Neeks.”

“Yeah, yeah. So here’s the story, so we’re on the same page, and so no one notices any inconsistencies. You asked me out a week ago. i was hesitant at first, but agreed yesterday morning. No, we haven’t kissed or anything yet, and yes, this is an experimental phase for us, because you’re still unsure. Got it?”

“Is that it? It’s so simple.”

“Don’t bog the story down with useless details. This isn’t an Asian drama.”

“Okay. Can I hug you and hold your hand?”

Nico squirmed. “Yeah. That’s what couples do, after all.”

“Great. Thank you, Nico. You really are the absolute best.”

“Yeah, yeah. You can stop that now.”

Jason reached for his hand slowly, while Nico watched it. When he took it, it just felt weird.

Nico made a face.

There was no way this wouldn’t blow up in their faces.


	2. Engagement Party.

When Nico and Jason showed up at Percy’s engagement party the next day holding hands, it caused a serious uproar. Every single one of their friends had a conniption.

Nico just wanted to hide.

Jason, to his credit, played his role spectacularly. The entire night he was the picture of a boy in love; bashful, blushing, and hanging all over Nico.

Thankfully, everyone assumed how uncomfortable Nico obviously was, was due to the attention, and not, in a huge part, because a man he was clearly in no way attracted to was in constant physical contact with him.

He couldn’t even begin to describe how thankful he was that neither Hazel, nor Will were there. That would be a nightmare for another day.

When the party was over, Jason topped off their performance with a kiss to Nico’s cheek, which actually made him blush.

He left with Reyna, and the car ride home was tense. Probably because Nico seemed to be dating her ex.

They didn’t speak until she closed the door to their apartment and turned to him. “All right then.”

He sighed and took a seat on their couch, preparing for a night of lying and hurting his best friend. “Yeah.”

“Why are you pretending to date Jason?”

Nico started to recite his script before stopping once he realised what exactly she was asking. “What?”

“You really think I’m fooled by that display you two gave?”

“I- I mean.”

She sighed, sitting half on the chair next to him. I know Jason isn’t attracted to men, even with his and Percy’s flamboyant displays of affection. And I also know you’re not attracted to him.“

He thought to lie, to try to convince her of their ruse, but he grasped at straws. Reyna knew, pure and simple, and to argue would only insult her. "Jason told June he was bi so she wouldn’t kick Thalia out for her being bi.”

“And, of course, he dragged you into it with his white knight syndrome.”

“Pretty much.”

“Idiot.”

Nico was an idiot, too, for listening and going along with it.

“Well, I’m sorry someone emotionally stronger than me didn’t find out, so you could have someone to help you.”

“No. It’s fine.” Honestly, Nico was glad it was Reyna. She was calm and mature. He could talk to her. And she wasn’t freaking out or trying to talk him out of it. She realised he was an adult, making his own decisions, however stupid and self destructive they were.

“So, I hate to bring up something that could be painful to think about, but what about Will?”

“Will?” He avoided eye contact with her, his gaze being drawn to the floor. He swallowed. “What about him?”

“I know you like him. Ever since that first day of Greek Civ last year.”

“Oh god.” Nico buried his face in his hands. “Does everyone know?”

“Only the people in our class. Maybe Piper.”

He sat back, sliding halfway off the couch, twisting so his arms spread awkwardly over one arm rest. “Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now. Anything that might have happened is over. Now, we’re just friends.”

There was a silence that followed where, for once, Nico wished Reyna would talk so he didn’t have to think about this.

Instead, she pulled him to his feet, and into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

He fell into her, hugging her back, barely. “It’s okay. If something were to happen, it would have by now.”

That’s what he would tell himself to get through it. He had to believe that.

Reyna hugged him tighter.


	3. Telling Hazel.

Nico went to the front desk of Hazel’s school to sign her out. His signature looked funky due to his shaking hand, making the girl look at him for a moment. But he was there frequently enough to be recognized, so she just put the sheet back where it belonged and called Hazel down.

She gave him a hug when she saw him. “Don’t you get tired of doing this every weekend?”

“Are you asking if I get tired of seeing you?”

She nudged him with her hip. “Oh please.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Just one more month and you can sign yourself out.”

“Yes. I am so ready to be eighteen.” She took his hand and led him out of the building. “Let’s get off this stupid campus.”

She told him about her week as they walked; about her sort-of date with Frank, and her project that she got an A on.

“All right, so what’s wrong?”

“What?”

Hazel let go of his hand, going to sit by the small river they’d found themselves next to. “You think I don’t notice when you’re upset? You haven’t acting like this since you told me you were gay.”

He almost smiled at the mess that was. Nico had run off and Hazel had called Percy to help find him. The object of his torture had found him in a McDonald’s parking lot and thrown him over his shoulder, carried him back to Hazel, then sat on him until he talked to her.

He sat down beside her, looking at the small ant hill about ten feet away. “I have something to tell you.”

“That sounds troubling.”

“Quiet, just-” He grabbed his ankles, shifting around. “Just, let me talk, okay?”

She scooted closer to him. “Yeah. Take your time. I’m right here.”

He did take his time. He fidgeted and stalled and planned his words while Hazel watched patiently, though it was obvious she was becoming more and more worried. Which was understandable, since he’d been fine when they talked on the phone Tuesday.

“Okay. So, here’s the thing.” He stalled again when he looked to her face.

“Yes?”

“I’m- I’m sort of dating-” He took a breath, looking at the sky. “Jason.”

“Jason.” Hazel leant back. “Seriously?”

That’s how he felt, too. “Yeah. Seriously.”

“Wait, Jason’s gay?”

“Bi, actually.”

“Wow. Okay.” She sat back against him. “I didn’t think you liked him that way.”

“I didn’t either.” The lie made his jaw hurt.

“I mean, I guess it makes sense.”

“Wait, what?”

She shrugged. “Yeah. You two have been really close for a while now. It’s surprising, but I guess not unreasonable that you two would like each other.”

Was that what everyone else thought?

He laid on his back, running both hands through his hair. If Hazel believed that the two of them liked each other, then they could really do this. They could actually convince everyone they were dating.

But was that really a good thing?

“So, have you two…” Hazel trailed off, moving her hand in a small circle.

“Hazel!”

“It’s a legitimate question.”

“Not for my underage sister.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please, Nico. I’m seventeen. I know what sex is.”

“I hope not too well. I would hate to have to stop liking Frank so much.”

She huffed. “No, Nico. Frank and I have never slept together. I’m still an old fashioned virginal flower.”

“Good. I would hate to have to beat him up.”

Hazel snorted. “He’s six-foot-five.”

“And he wouldn’t fight back.”

She hummed. “True. So can I beat up Jason if he takes your purity then?”

Nico made the exact same snort she did. “Sure.”

“Good.” She laid down beside him, taking his hand. “Nico?”

He hummed, closing his eyes.

“Are you happy?”

No. He hated this, all of it. The lying, the faking, the eventually hurting someone. The lost chances. He just wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

“I’m not sure yet.”

She curled into him, wrapping her arm around his. “I hope you will be.”

He doubted that.


	4. Interrogation.

“Jason. Come in.”

Nico rolled his eyes, imagining the stare Hazel was giving him. She didn’t have his practice, but she could still make people uneasy when she tried.

He finished putting up his hair and went to stand in the living room door way.

Jason sat on the edge of the chair, back straight even for him, and looked up at Hazel with wide eyes and thin lips. Hazel was giving him her best stern look

“What are your intentions with my brother?”

Nico had to bite his cheek to keep down a laugh. Jason looked nervous, hopefully feeling guilty for starting this entire mess.

“I would like to date him.”

Hazel crossed her arms, jutting her hip out. “Is that all?”

“Um, currently.”

Hazel cocked her head, watching Jason squirm. The two weren’t really close, mostly friends by proxy, hanging out with almost entirely the same people. He probably couldn’t see the gleam in her eye.

“And after that?”

“Um.” He tapped his knee awkwardly, glancing away from her. “I haven’t really planned that far ahead.”

“You realise you’re attracted to men because you like my brother and you haven’t thought about sleeping with him yet? Are you sure you’re ready for this? You’re not jerking him around, are you?”

This seemed like a good place to stop them. Nico didn’t really want to hear where this would go, and Hazel was getting that protective look on her face.

“All right, that’s enough. Stop interrogating my boyfriend.”

Jason looked about to faint. He was pale and sweating, and, when he look at Nico, his face brightened, relief pouring out of every centimeter of his body. He stood up, wrapping his arms around Nico’s waist, kissing his cheek. “Hey there.”

Nico squirmed from his grasp, grabbing his jacket. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.”

Hazel fixed his shirt and hair. He had to pull away to get her to stop.

“All right. Have fun you two.”

Nico kissed her cheek. “We’ll be back around eleven.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

He stuck his tongue out at her as they left.

Jason waited until they were in his car to relax, slouching in the driver's seat and running a hand through his hair.

He pushed a breath out of his cheeks. “Thanks for rescuing me.”

“You need to work on your acting. It was fine today, because you came of as nervous and charming for our first date. But that won’t fly next time.”

He looked over to Jason after a moment of silence and found him smiling at him.

“What?”

“You called me ‘charming’.”

Nico smiled despite himself. “Focus, you doof.”

“Right, right. Of course.” He cleared his throat and sat up straight, wearing an overly serious expression before it cracked and he grinned. “You think I’m charming.”

“Oh my god, just drive.”

Jason did a small bouncing dance as he started the car, singing, “You like me, you like me.”

“I will break up with you.”

“What? No. I lurve you.”

Nico shook his head and rolled down the window, despite the sixty degree weather, to feel the wind.

At least they could still be friends. At least this stupid game they were playing wouldn’t ruin that. He needed this friendship.

He closed his eyes, listening to what he could hear of Jason’s story over the wind as they drove to wherever.


	5. Telling Will.

Tuesday Nico woke up feeling sick, ready to vomit before he realised what was wrong.

He had figure drawing with Will later that afternoon.

He rolled over, pulling the blanket over his head in hopes of suffocating himself. Maybe he could just skip today. Maybe he could just drop the class. Maybe he could move to Mexico. That way he would never have to talk to Will about Jason.

He threw the covers off himself and rolled out of bed. He couldn’t skip. Will would just come to his apartment and check on him. Then there would be two lies.

Reyna glanced at him several times while he was getting ready, the expression on her face sympathetic, making the lump in his throat swell each time.

It didn’t matter. Will only thought of his as a friend. Nico would be the only one hurt by this.

He didn’t think he’d ever hope that Will wouldn’t like him.

He said good-bye to Reyna, and she put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. He had to turn away and wipe at his eye.

The bus ride was torture. He kept fidgeting and his hands were shaking.

When he got to the door of the classroom, he caught sight of Will, already working, filling in some of the details on his sketch of Nico. Suddenly he couldn’t move. He tried to force himself to walk, but his heartbeat was heavy. He couldn’t do it.

He was about to turn and run when Will looked up, smiling at him.

Nico went over to him, his body moving automatically, feeling stiff.

“You don’t look so good. Are you sick?” He put his hand to Nico’s forehead, making his heart skip.

“Just got something on my mind.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

He shook his head, pulling his sketchbook out. “Let’s just get to work.”

Nico was quiet for the span of the class, while he and Will drew each other in this pose or that, trying to focus on his task. But he just kept thinking about Will. About his hair, and his eyes, and his stupid freckles, and how nice he felt standing next to him. And about how his knees or his foot would occasionally bump his. He must have been doing it on purpose to see Nico blush.

At one point a strong wind came through the windows, blowing papers and other supplies.

Nico felt frozen. The wind had come from behind Will, blowing his scent in his direction, and, for a moment, that’s all there was. His fingers prickled like they’d been asleep, and his throat made a wet gurgling noise.

“Nico, what’s wrong?“

He looked up at Will, which he’d been trying - and failing - not to do. He could tell he’d been growing more and more worried as the time passed, and Nico had been even less responsive to panic.

"What do you mean?”

Will reached toward his face, making him jump. He froze as he wiped a tear from Nico’s cheek, holding it out for him to see.

“Oh. Sorry.” He wiped his face, looking to the floor. “It’s nothing.”

“Nico.” Will sat beside him, putting a hand on his. “Talk to me.”

Nico shut his eyes tight, clenching his jaw. Please, don’t do this. Will’s hand felt warm; he could feel each and every callus on his naturally soft skin. It hurt.

“Will, I have to tell you something.”

“Yeah?”

His mouth went dry. He took a breath, which made him feel dizzy.

This wasn’t Will liking him. This was Will comforting a friend. He did this for all his friends. He was just too good.

“Nico, whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you’re thinking it is. You’re too pessimistic sometimes.”

Don’t smile like that.

He was trying to help, but he was just making things so much harder.

The teacher dismissed them, making Nico jump. He moved away from Will, gathering his stuff. They shouldn’t be this close.

“Nico, you’re really starting to worry me.“

"Nico.”

He froze. No. Not now. He knew Jason knew his schedule, but he had no idea he was planning to pick him up.

He felt Jason wrap his arm around his waist and kiss his cheek.

No. Not in front of Will. Not when Nico hadn’t told him yet.

He looked over to Will, slowly, fighting with himself. He didn’t want to, but he had to.

Will stared at him with wide eyes and a frown. He looked hurt.

No. No no no no no no. Will wasn’t suppose to be hurt. Nico was suppose to be the only one hurt. This bad decision was only suppose to affect him.

Will wasn’t suppose to like him.

And, when it turned out he did like him, it was suppose to make him happy. He’d thought about it endlessly. He felt happy in ways he never had before just fantasizing about Will liking him. The real thing happening was suppose to have him walking on air, and feeling like he was in a dream, but so much more intense, and so much other cliched crap.

It wasn’t suppose to make him feel so awful.

“Hey. You must be Will. Nico’s told me about you. I’m Jason.”

Will looked at him, taking the hand that was offered. “That’s, um, Nico never mentioned you. You’re…?”

“His boyfriend.”

Will’s eyes went to Nico’s for a moment, then back to Jason. “That’s- congratulations.”

Jason beamed, and Nico wished he was a worse actor so Will could figure out this wasn’t real. “Thanks.” He tightened his grip on Nico’s waist and smiled at him. “Well, we should go. We’re getting dinner tonight at this Greek place down town.”

“Right. Yeah. That place is really good.” Will started gathering his stuff.

“Well, nice meeting you.” He started to lead Nico out.

“Yeah. You too.”

Nico turned around to see Will one more time. He found him watching him, looking like he was about to cry, the tendons in his neck tight. When they locked eyes, Will looked away.

Nico could swear his heart had literally broken in half at that moment.


	6. Intervention.

“Okay, you need to get up.” Hazel tore his blankets off of him and turned on the lights. “No one’s seen you in three days, you’ve called out of class and work, and you haven’t eaten since Tuesday.”

Nico curled into a ball, covering his eyes with an arm.

“Up.” She put her weight on the edge of his bed and bounced, jostling him. “Jason, Reyna, and Percy are all worried about you. We’re ready to hold an intervention.”

Nico rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling with passive annoyance. “I don’t want to see Jason, or Percy, or anyone else who’s going to hug me, or attempt to make me talk about my feelings.”

She huffed and blew a lock of hair from her eyes. “I know. That’s why Reyna called Annabeth. We’re playing video games in the living room.”

Nico rolled to his other side to face her. “This cannot end well.”

Hazel smirked, tilting her chin up at him and crossing her arms. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before straightening himself out like a log and rolling to the other end of his bed, and climbing to his feet.

He followed her to their living room, where he found the couch and chair had been pulled up to their TV, and a bean bag chair was thrown to the right, Annabeth already sprawled halfway on top of it. At least a dozen Chinese food to go containers littered the table.

Reyna came up behind him and handed him a very large mug of cocoa.

“So what are we playing?” Nico sat down on one side of the couch, picking up a container. He felt a little sick as he looked at the contents.

“Mario Cart.” Annabeth held the disk in the air.

“No.”

“What? Why?” She turned to Nico with a glare.

“You get way too competitive with that game.”

She pursed her lips and put the disk back in it’s case. “Like you’re one to talk.”

He hummed, forcing himself to take a bite.

Hazel watched him, making chewing more difficult. The food felt thick with her expectations.

“Let’s play a fighting game.” Reyna came back out of the kitchen with two more mugs, handing one to Hazel and taking a seat.

They all seemed to agree on that.

After a few rounds against each other, they switched to story mode, passing around the controller.

Hazel sat on the back of the couch, her sketch book out, drawing the people in the room, and turning it to show Nico after every one.

Annabeth read from some book about sixteenth century Gothic architecture, getting so engrossed they had to toss a balled up napkin at her every time it was her turn.

Reyna worked on homework, paying just enough attention to the game to toss out some advice here and there.

Nico watched the screen without seeing what was happening. Even when he played, he just went through the motions. It really wasn’t that much different than the last three days. There were just more people, and Nico couldn’t cry.

Eventually the controller just laid abandoned under the table, the game paused mid way through a cut scene.

Reyna and Annabeth had both fallen asleep around midnight, curled up in their spots. Nico had covered them both with blankets not long after.

He’d spread himself out with his legs up over the armrest, and his head by Hazel’s feet as he watched her draw.

“How did you get here, anyway?”

“Dad signed me out after I called him. He’s worried about you, too.” She showed him a picture of sleeping Reyna and flipped to the next page. “Apparently Percy said something to his mum, and she said something to him.” She paused in her sketch of Annabeth, looking down at him. “Is this about Jason? You seemed fine on Saturday.”

His mouth felt dry. “Not entirely.”

She put her sketchbook to the side. “What does that mean?”

“I said I didn’t want to talk about this.”

“I know. I’m just worried about you.” She slid down so she sat beside his head. “Relationships don’t come as easily to you as they have for the rest of us. But you deserve to be happy. If you’re not, I want to help.”

He wanted to tell her. The words pulled at him, forcing their way from his chest.

He held his breath, forcing them down, forcing himself closed. It was just like before. He just had to remember how he did that.

“It’s nothing that I can’t handle.”

She doubted him, he could tell by her eyes, but she chose to believe in him. “Okay.”

His stomach felt like it was full of tar, the guilt of her trust that he knowingly betrayed solidifying inside him.

“I think I’m going to go to bed.” He stood up, waking Reyna to send her to her room.

He and Hazel turned everything off and put everything in the fridge.

“Wake me when you get up. We’ll go for breakfast.”

“As long as your breakfast consists of more than a small tea.”

Nico smiled lightly, kissing her forehead. “Buonanotte, sorellina.”

She held his wrists lightly. “Will you ever tell me what’s wrong?” She looked at him with those same eyes she had the first time he’d accidentally called her “Bianca”.

He looked to the floor between them. “Eventually.”

“Promise?” She held her pinky out to him.

He smiled; he couldn’t help it. “Promise.” He hooked his pinky in with hers and they shook them awkwardly, their hands moving separately from each other.

“All right. Good night, Nico.”

He went back to his bed after making sure she was comfortable on the couch, where he curled up against the wall and stared out the window until the sun came up.


	7. Meeting the Parents.

Will didn’t show up for the next class, so Nico was stuck as the awkward third to another pair, creeping them out as he lost himself in a spiral of negative thoughts.

Will was avoiding him. Not that Nico could blame him. He’d avoid himself, too.

He’d been stupid over the last two days, he’d thought of a dozen ways he’d explain what was happening. Granted, most of them involved telling the truth, so they were useless. But no matter how hard he tried to stop himself, he just kept imagining the smile on Will’s face, and the way he’d kiss him.

As if that were even possible. Will would hate him after this. Not only for lying, but for hurting him with his lie.

The class seemed to pass by in only moments, and his partners ran from the room in such a hurry he barely noticed them leave.

When he got around to following, Jason jumped him. He’d been waiting outside the door and looked like he did the time Piper dumped him; with bags under his eyes and a flushed face and chest, contrasting with a pale complexion. He looked about ready to cry, but that was usual when he felt any strong emotion.

“Jason, what are you doing here? I told you to let me know if you planned to pick me up.”

“I know, it’s just- are you all right?” He ran his fingers through the small bit of hair at the nape of his neck. “You haven’t spoken to me in a week. Did I make you upset or overstep my bounds? I would have asked before touching you, but you said it was okay.Do you want me to stop? Because I can.”

“Jason.”

He shut his mouth, his adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously.

“I’m not upset with you.”

His relief was instant. His body relaxed, and his posture improved, and he stopped wringing his hands. But he didn’t smile. “Then what’s wrong? We haven’t gone this long without talking in years.”

Nico looked back to the spot where Will usually sat, just outside the centre of the room. He clenched his jaw, the motion ripping through his chest. “It’s a personal problem that I have to take care of on my own.”

Jason nodded, though it was obvious he didn’t like it. He was a team player and a professional people fixer, after all. “All right. So, then, that leaves us with one more problem.”

He resisted the urge to groan. “What?”

“Look, before I say anything, I’m sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but I just couldn’t tell you before now.”

That made sense. After all, Nico hadn’t checked his phone or IM’s in a week. “All right. What is it?”

Jason took a breath, looking up at the ceiling. “My parents want you to come to dinner tonight.”

Great. He had just confirmed that Will was avoiding him, and now he got to pretend that he was blissfully happy with Jason in front of his parents, who were the reason they were in this mess, and they already didn’t like him. And, of course, there was the added bonus of June’s family oriented homophobia.

Peachy.

“Well, we better go get ready then.”

“You’ll go?” Jason lit up even more, looking almost like normal again.

“I don’t exactly have a choice, do I?”

Jason hugged him, lifting him off the ground.

“Okay, you can stop now.” Nico didn’t want to be touched. He’d have to deal with lots of touching later that evening. He didn’t want to deal with them while his pain was so fresh.

He needed a little time to deal with this latest blow.

“All right, I’ll drive you home, then pick you back up at five.”

That would give him an hour. “Whatever.”

“Cool. Let’s go.” He took Nico’s hand and lead him down the hall.

Nico put on one of two pairs of nice jeans and only button up he owned over a normal t-shirt. He even tried to do something with his hair, but that proved near pointless. In the end he had Reyna clip his bangs back.

“Are you okay with this?” She fixed up his clothes after finishing. “You looked even more like death than usual when you got back.” She ran her hands over his shoulders. “Wanna talk about it?”

“No time.” He fixed his belt. “Maybe after.”

“All right.” She tucked a bit of hair behind his ear. “Call me if you need me.”

He looked at her eyes that bore into him. “All right. Thanks.”

His phone went off and there was a message from Jason saying he was downstairs.

“Time to go.”

“Good luck.”

“I’ll need more than that.”

The car ride was silent and tense, and the two of them sat outside for several minutes after they arrived, staring at the large, imposing house Nico had been to a grand total of once.

“Before we go in, how much are you comfortable with? I don’t want to push you.”

He turned to Jason, who was looking at him the same way everyone else had been lately. He was almost looking forward to facing his parents if it meant a couple hours without that look.

“Do what you have to to convince them. Just short of groping me, I think I can handle just about everything.”

He breathed, then gave him his trademark, yet fake as pre-sliced cheese smile. “Let’s go then.” He gave Nico’s hand a squeeze and exited the car.

Yippee.

He lead Nico into the house where they took a moment to calm their nerves as they removed their shoes.

Surprisingly the first face they came up against was Thalia’s.

“Hey there Jaybird, short stuff.”

Nico was surprised how quickly he calmed upon seeing her. It was no longer just them and Jason’s parents.

Thalia always brought a sense of ease with her wherever she went, even when she was angry. They could do this if she was around.

“Thal, I didn’t know you’d be here.” Jason gave her a hug.

“What, and miss seeing June’s face when you brought over your first boyfriend? Not in your life. So, di Angelo.” She turned to Nico, grinning ear to ear. “How’ve you been? It’s been, what, three years? Look at you, all out and proud.”

He shrugged. “It’s not really ‘out and proud’. It’s more like, me, but with a boyfriend.”

“Yeah. I’m kinda high on being out still, so I’m drowning myself in flannel and Ani Difranco. Drives my boyfriend nuts.”

“What? Boyfriend?”

“Yeah. I’ve been in a pretty committed relationship for about four years. His name’s Luke.”

Nico was having a hard time processing that. If he hadn’t fallen for Percy, if he’d had any possibility of being with a girl, already had someone of the opposite sex, he would have never even thought about coming out. And his dad was practically a saint compared to their family.

And yet here Thalia was, reveling in it, dating a member of the opposite sex like he’d always thought they were suppose to. Why had she come out?

“You’re here, finally.”

They all turned to June, standing at the end of the hall in her apron, flushed. At least she was attempting to be cordial, though Nico could see the frown lines around her mouth were more prominent than when he’d last seen her two months before while she was shopping.

“Come in. Sit down. I was just finishing dinner.”

Jason lead the way while Nico followed closely, just as nervous as he was before, and Thalia closed up the rear.

Jason pulled out his chair for him, which was a move Nico typically rolled his eyes at, but thanked him to give off the impression that they did this all the time.

“So, Nico. Jason says you’ve been dating for two weeks.”

And so the questions begin.

He answered them with practiced ease, having had to explain repeatedly to almost everyone he knew.

About midway through their meal, June set down her fork and knife, and looked at Nico intently, like she was about to kill him with surgical like precision. “So, Nico.”

She paused, waiting until he, too, put down his utensils, and sat up straight.

“How does your father feel about your relationship?”

Nico looked down at his plate. “My father’s known about my preference since I was ten, and he’s always liked Jason, so I think he’s happy.”

“I see.” Her lips thinned into almost nothing. That obviously wasn’t the answer she’d wanted. “Isn’t that nice dear?”

Jason and Thalia’s dad, who’d been reading the newspaper the entire meal, and obviously hadn’t paid attention to a single thing outside of it, just hummed without glancing up.

“Yeah, June. Looks like you’re the only one with a problem with people being happy.”

“I don’t want to hear another word from you.” June held her finger out at Thalia. “You are a guest in my home, and you will therefore treat me with some respect.”

“Your home? My dad pays for this place, and everything in it.”

“And I am married to your father, like it or not. And that makes this my home, as well.”

“I don’t like it. Or the superior way you behave, like you think being married to him makes you better than me.”

The two had squared against each other, and their argument just escalated in volume and viciousness.

Jason put a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go. We’ve done what we came to do.”

Nico nodded, sending a small thank you to whatever god was listening, and followed him back to the door.

“You sure you’ll be fine on your way back? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“It’s only three blocks away. I’ll be fine.”

Thalia screamed, making Nico and Jason jump, and came storming toward them. She sat on the step at their feet, putting her shoes on. “Say goodbye, Jay. I’m taking Nico home.”

Jason looked relieved at this, but Nico found himself annoyed. He’d been planning to go for a walk to deal with his emotions.

He saw June watching them from the end of the hall, her arms crossed and glaring, and he forced himself to smile.“

"Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Jason put a hand on his waist, moving closer to him. “Of course. I’m sorry this didn’t go like we wanted it to.”

Nico blushed, looking down. “It’s fine. It was just dinner. Not the end of the world.”

Jason seemed to hesitate for a split-moment, then he leant down and kissed Nico on the lips.

It wouldn’t have been too bad, but he lingered for a moment too long, making Nico have to pull away, staring at Jason.

He looked to June, then blushed deeper, looking back to the floor. “Not in front of your family.”

Jason blushed, too, looking down at Nico’s chest, shuffling back and forth. “Right. Sorry. I just wanted to kiss you, so…”

“Yeah. So.” Nico swallowed. “Good night, then.”

He rushed out the door, followed a moment later by Thalia, who him him on the back and grinned at him. “Well, all right then.”

She climbed into her truck and started it, motioning for him to follow.

“You know, I didn’t believe you two at first.”

She twisted around, looking out her back window as she pulled out of the driveway, waiting until they were going down the road before continuing. “But after that kiss.” She whistled.

His stomach bounced around uncomfortably as they went over a series of small potholes.

“Not because you two kissed. Anyone can kiss when the situation calls for it. I mean the look on Jaybird’s face when you did. Was that your first kiss?” She glanced over at him.

“It was our first kiss.”

She hummed. “I could tell. You had that look.”

She pointed to his apartment building as they came up on it. “That one?”

“Yeah.”

She pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. “I guess I thought he was doing this just to protect me. And I was ready to smack him for it. But I’m glad he’s not.” She turned to face him, pulling one leg up on the seat and grabbing her ankle. “I like you, kid. Always have. I think you’ll be good for Jay. You won’t let him get away with all this golden boy perfection crap.”

Oh, how wrong she was.

“Anyway. That’s all I wanted to say. Oh, and to give him a swift kick in the butt if he’s ever a jerk or hurts you. He’s strong. He can take it.” She turned forward and started the truck again. “I’ll catch you later, kid.”

He nodded and got out, feeling a little numb.

She drove off, giving him a wave and a wink.

He barely registered going up to his apartment, slipping quietly into his room to avoid talking to Reyna.

He kicked off his shoes and pulled his button up over head head, crawling into bed. He curled into a ball in the corner, curling his fingers around his lips where he could still feel Jason.

He closed his eyes and pretended it was Will who’d kissed him.


	8. "Just Friends."

It took everything Nico had not to stay in bed for another week. He went to work and class and everyone seemed to think his numbness was normal. He thought that, perhaps, it was time to evaluate how he presented himself to the world.

Then again, it did keep the legions of well-intenders at bay. At least he didn’t have to lie to even more people.

The worst part was the way he kept looking at Will’s name in his contacts, trying to gather the courage to call or text him. Several times during the day he would pull out his phone and hit that “W” button before putting it back in his pocket. At night he’d just stare at it, sometimes feeling dead and weak, and sometimes squeezing it so tight his fingers burned and the shape was left in his skin.

He stared out the window passively as he waited for his drawing class to start. His mind was everywhere and nowhere at once, and after each thought passed, he couldn’t recall what it was about.

He felt his heart in his throat when he jumped as Will sat in his chair. He looked to him and a strangled noise got caught in his throat.

Will had been crying. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and he wore a baggy sweatshirt with some geeky picture on it. He looked at the floor, clearly avoiding eye contact with Nico.

He glanced up, then looked away again. “Hey.”

He looked like a robot. There was nothing happy or playful, or even angry in the way he moved, or in his face. There was just nothing, which was worse than Nico thought it could be. He could have handled anything better than this.

And he couldn’t say anything. He just stared at the blank expression like a jerk.

He had no right to be upset by Will’s pain. He was the one that had caused it. This was all his fault.

Will liked to him again, and Nico’s heart beat wildly.

Say something. He’s right there in front of you. Say something!

Will’s jaw clenched and he pulled his lips back, revealing his teeth that were so white. He close his eyes and took a breath. “Nico. Can we talk?”

He gaped, trying to say something. No words came, just the urge to cry again. When will opened his eyes, he nodded.

Will sighed, putting his sketchbook on his lap, gripping the top of it until his knuckles turned white. “So, I don’t think it’s a secret that I like you.”

Nico pulled his knees to his chest, scared that Will could see his heartbeat through his chest.

“So, um, until last week, I sort of thought you, maybe, liked me, too.”

He bit his cheek hard to keep from confirming it. It would only make things hurt more.

“So, when I saw your-” His jaw tensed, and he spoke through clenched teeth. “Your boyfriend last week…” He sighed, seeming to lose all his anger. “I realised that must not be the case. Or, maybe it was, but not anymore.”

He swallowed, the sound audible over Nico’s heart, which he was sure could be heard by the entire class. “At first I was angry. Angry that you were dating someone else, and angry you didn’t tell me. Then I realised you were trying to tell me, before he showed up. And then the anger started to pass, and I just…” He sighed, hanging his head. “Hurt.”

Nico tasted blood. He ran his tongue over the the cut in his cheek.

“I needed time to figure things out. I needed time away from you, to figure out what I want.”

Nico looked down, letting out his breath. “Yeah.”

“I realised, though, that- that being away from you is harder. Too hard.” Will folded his hands, twisting them. “I kept hoping that you’d call or text, even though I knew you were giving me space.” He looked Nico in the eyes for the first time. His expression was almost hopeful. “I realised I want to be with you, even if it’s just as friends.

"I mean, I want to be more than friends with you. I have since the beginning of last year when we got grouped together in Greek Civ. But if we can’t be more, I want to be friends. I want to be beside you.”

He watched Nico, holding his breath. Nico thought he might be hoping for him to say he did want to be more, that he wanted to be with him, not Jason. It had to be his stupid fantasies again.

“Yeah. I want to be friends with you, too.”

It was better than being without him, even if just the thought twisted his insides.

“Yeah?”

Nico nodded. He held his sketchbook over his face, pushing his forehead against it. “Yeah.”

“All right. Good.”

Nico took a breath that shook his entire body. “Will?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.” His hands ached with the effort to keep them still. “For hurting you.”

There was a pause, and Nico wanted to peek over his sketchbook to see Will’s face, but he couldn’t.

“No. Don’t be sorry. You deserve to be happy. I’m just not the one who can make you.”

Nico took a breath, crossing one foot over the other. “Will?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you, um, you said you thought I liked you, too, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I did.”

“Then, why didn’t you ever say anything?”

Will sighed.

Nico managed to peak at him, keeping his sketchbook pressed to his nose. 

Will had his hands clasped, thumbs up, pressed to his forehead. His entire body was hunched forward.

Nico hated himself for asking.

“I guess I didn’t expect you to fall for someone else.” He smiled at Nico, but it held nothing positive, nothing that he’d come to associate with Will’s smiles. “But I see now that that was too cocky of me.” He sighed again, putting his hands, still clasped, on his lap. “I didn’t see any reason to rush things.”

His laugh made Nico’s body feel cold. “I guess I missed my chance. I won’t be making that mistake again.”

The realization that Will would move on and date someone else had him panicking. He wanted to scream and throw himself at him.

The teacher dismissed them, and Nico stared at the clock, wondering where the last two hours had gone. How many awkward silences had he missed?

“Hey, Nico. Is your boyfriend picking you up?”

“No.” Nico started to pack his stuff, holding his breath to keep his hands from shaking. “His name’s Jason.”

“I know. I remembered. I just call him that because it reminds me. The reminders help me keep from messing up.”

Nico blushed.

“So that means you’re free?”

“Um, yeah. I don’t work until- um, until tomorrow.”

He’d almost answered like he’d be staying over, like he did before.

“Cool. Then, you wanna get lunch?”

Nico wanted to smile, but he couldn’t manage. Faking it with Will was on a whole different level than with his friends, or Jason’s family. “Yeah.”

He could pretend this was a date, right?

Would Will be pretending it was a date, too?

He didn’t miss the way Will was blatantly avoiding touching him, especially since it contrasted so much with how he was before. The way he’d casually reach over and touch his hair, or wrap and arm around him, or how they would bump into each other.

Before Nico ruined everything.


	9. The Changing Point.

Nico wasn’t sure if being around Will as “just friends” was really better than not being around him at all.

Sometimes it managed to feel almost like it did before drama became such a prominent aspect of his life. The two of them would talk about everything that came to their minds. Will would joke around, and sometimes Nico would even joke back.

Then one of them would mess up. Will would reach out to touch him, something he used to do all the time without thinking and pull back suddenly. Or Nico would mention Jason in a story. He was such a major part of Nico’s life, he was the first person to accept him without question. He was in most of Nico’s stories. Sometimes Nico would search for long enough to find a story that didn’t involve Jason, that the silence would become too awkward, and things would be ruined anyway.

It didn’t get easier, but Will was determined to stay friends, and Nico couldn’t bring himself to end it. Even though he knew he should. He just kept thinking about when this thing with Jason played its course, that he would throw himself at Will and kiss away every awkward moment. He just had to hold on long enough.

He and Jason were suppose to celebrate their two month “anniversary” by going to a nice, quiet restaurant, when Piper surprised them with tickets to a small premier to her fathers latest movie. It was a double date.

Nico thought it was pretty lame of her to invite her ex on a double date with her, especially since, last Nico knew, Jason still liked her. But he was in a new “relationship” now, so she had no reason to think he wasn’t over her. And he seemed pretty excited.

So Nico reused his family dinner outfit and met them in the living room.

Jason’s face lit up when he saw Nico, which it always did lately.

Nico wondered if the reason he couldn’t manage those details was because he’d never been in a real relationship before.

“Nico, you look great.” Piper took a picture of him with her phone. “I’ve never seen you dressed up before. Not even for school dances or parties. Jason, go stand with him. Hold his hand.”

Nico felt even more uncomfortable than usual with a camera pointed at him. He didn’t like his picture taken at the best of times.

“This isn’t prom, Piper.”

“Oh hush. You wouldn’t have done this even for prom. Let me enjoy it.” She took several pictures from different angles, making them do different poses, including the one where he put his back to Jason’s chest and Jason wrapped his arms around his waist, before Reyna made her stop.

She looked particularly anxious today. Nico understood. Things were getting out of hand very quickly. This was suppose to be a very low key thing. They weren’t suppose to be going to a movie premier.

She gave him a hug as he left. “Be careful.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Piper blushed when they saw the limo waiting for them. “Dad insisted.”

The ride there was quiet, Piper talking to her new boyfriend, some guy named Butch Nico had never met before, and Jason rubbing the back of Nico’s hand with his thumb, a movement so common at this point he’d started to find some comfort in it.

When they got to the theatre, there were a few photographers, mostly for local newspapers by the looks of them.

Still, Jason used his height to block Nico from their shots.

“Thanks.”

Jason squeezed his hand. “No problem.”

When they got inside, he relaxed. There were suppose to be no cameras in the building.

Piper embraced a girl Nico knew, a little. Silena. They were both friends with Clarisse, and she was exceptionally kind to everyone. He liked her.

“I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Of course. I’m not going to miss your first ever movie.”

That explained why she wanted to come to this thing, despite that she hated her dads career choice.

“Just in time, too. It’s suppose to start soon.” Silena looked about ready to faint.

“I’m sure you were great.”

She blushed, which made her look worse. “Thank you.”

Piper looked around. “Where’s Beckendorf?”

“Oh, Charlie’s already inside. I said I wanted to take a walk through the lobby alone, since I can’t go outside without being swarmed.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, but she looked unsure. “I mean, I’ve done all I can do, right? Now we just get to wait and find out what everyone thinks.”

“They’ll love you.”

Silena looked like she was finally calming down. “Thanks, Pipes. You’re always a huge help.”

She shrugged. “It’s what I’m here for.”

Nico, Jason, and Butch followed them into the theatre, where the lights had already dimmed, and the previews for upcoming movies and soda ads were playing.

Silena kissed who Nico assumed was Charlie Beckendorf, and sat down.

Nico was placed between him and Jason.

Everyone found it too tense with Silena’s anxiousness to whisper among themselves.

Jason kissed the back of his hand when the movie started, though no one was paying attention, but Nico didn’t complain. It was his little touches that kept this performance going.

When the movie was over, he checked his phone to see a message from Reyna saying to call her immediately. So he excused himself, finding a quiet place.

“Nico, I need to talk to you.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t want to say anything, because I really don’t think you need the added stress, but I think you really need to know.”

“Reyna, what’s wrong?”

“Nico, I think Jason’s really likes you.“

He was at a loss for words. How was he suppose to respond to that? "Reyna, we both know Jason’s as straight as a ruler. He doesn’t like me.”

“You don’t see the way he looks at you.” There was a pause and Nico heard a pan clatter. “Just trust me, Nico. Jason’s having some very non-straight feelings for you. I just thought you should know.”

Nico pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes tight. “All right. I’ll keep my eye on him. Thanks for telling me.”

“I’m sorry. I know this makes things harder. But, after today, I couldn’t keep it from you anymore.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’ll see you when I get home. Later.” He hung up, staring at his phone for a while before finding the others.

“Nico.” Jason went over to him, taking his hand in a natural movement that Nico wasn’t nearly as aware of before then. “We’re planning to go for dinner. You up for it?”

He could tell Jason wanted to go. But he was Nico’s boyfriend, and would be obligated to turn them down if he said no.

“Yeah. I could use some food.” Another lie. After that conversation he wouldn’t want to eat for a week.

“Great. My dad owns this little cafe bakery just a few blocks down. We can walk.”

Silena lead the way, telling everyone funny stories about filming, obviously feeling better now that the event was over.

Nico found himself thinking about being in her position, surrounded by people, his life depending on their approval, if they liked him.

Jason squeezed his hand, looking down at him.

Nico gave him a weak smile, and he cast is attention back to the story.

He found himself distracted all throughout the meal, feeling separated from the group. He felt this way frequently, at seemingly random moments. He just felt outside and alone. And there was no way to fix it.

They dropped him off first, and Jason walked him to the door of the building.

“This was fun.”

Nico smiled at him. “You know, it actually was.”

They stopped on the stoop and Jason leant down for a kiss, which wasn’t common, but something they had done a few times when they thought someone was watching and they weren’t suppose to know.

He lingered, holding his breath, then moved closer, stepping into Nico. His hand came up to touch his face. 

It felt… nice. It had been so long since he’d really kissed someone, and Jason felt so warm and Nico had felt so cold. And now that it wasn’t being thrown at him, he wasn’t scared.

He felt, for a moment, while Jason’s lips moved against his, like he was less alone. Like his heart wasn’t broken beyond repair.

He felt Jason smile as he kissed back, his hand coming up to hold the one that cupped his chin.

When Jason pulled away, he breathed heavily. “Well. Bye.”

“Yeah.” Nico nodded. “Bye.”

He slipped away, walking back to his car, and Nico went back inside.

Had that been Jason liking him? Or did he feel just as lonely and broken as Nico?

Half of him regretted the kiss. He shouldn’t have given in like that. It was stupid and weak of him, and nothing good could come of it.

But the other half of him craved more. Just human comfort from someone he knew and trusted, and he knew cared about him.

Even though he didn’t love Jason, and there was no spark there. It was still nice. Still something to fill that emptiness.

He shouldn’t do it again.


	10. Give Me Time.

Nico wasn’t prepared for the guilt he felt the next time he saw Will. It was literally painful the way his stomach twisted. He felt like he’d cheated. Except they weren’t actually dating.

“Nico?”

He could feel the way his expression scrunched up. In the past two months, he’d seemed to have lost all ability to hide his pain, which he’d been so good at before.

Will reached out, his hand pausing in the air, fingers curling in. He took a breath and touched Nico’s face. “What’s wrong?”

Will was touching him. For the first time in two months. Nico knew he’d been missing it, but he hadn’t realised just how much. He closed his eyes and moved into it by reflex before realizing what he was doing, and hung his head, trying to make it look like that was the intention. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. Nico, talk to me.” Will moved closer to him, cupping his face with his other hand and making him look up.

Nico’s stomach twisted with the desire to spill everything. The part of him that wanted to cling to Will and never let go twisted with his guilt, making his chest feel like it was expanding and contracting all at once.

“Is it because of Jason? Is that why you won’t tell me?”

He looked at Will, not entirely sure he’d heard him right.

Will’s mouth went tight. “I’ve thought so for a while. You’ve been off since you two started dating. I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want you to think I was trying to get you to break up with him for my own selfish reasons.”

“You wouldn’t do that.” Nico closed his eyes. “You always sacrifice yourself for other people. You don’t think you’re worth what you give out, so you never expect anything.“

When he opened his eyes, Will was staring at him, lips parted. He mimicked Nico’s glance to his own lips.

Nico swallowed. If Will kissed him then, he knew he wouldn’t stop him.

Instead he put his forehead to Nico’s.

"If you’re not happy with Jason, don’t be with him." 

Nico pulled back, into himself and into reality. "It’s not that simple.”

“It really is.”

“Will, you don’t understand.”

“Nico, I’ve been in shitty relationships. A lot of them. I thought I didn’t deserve better. I get that. The self loathing, the loneliness, the obligation. But you’re worth more than that. You deserve someone who will love you and treat you right.”

Nico almost laughed. “Jason doesn’t treat me bad.”

Will pulled away. “He doesn’t?”

“No. I don’t think he’s capable of being awful to someone. The man’s made of angels wings soaked in Jesus’s tears or something.”

Will looked relieved, and Nico’s heart beat hard at that, just once. Even when it meant possibly losing Nico, he was still happy to know he was okay.

“Nico?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you like him?”

Nico’s breathing shallowed. “I-” He looked down, playing with the zipper of his jacket. “I don’t know yet.”

“What does that mean?”

Please don’t ask him these questions. Don’t make him lie more.

“It means I’m still figuring that out.”

“I don’t understand. Then why are you with him?”

“I said it’s complicated.”

“Nico, please, explain it to me. I want to understand.” He moved closer to him again, and Nico looked up, seeing only his eyes. “Please.”

He reached up to take Will’s hands, but instead grabbed his wrists, moving them from his face. “I will, just not right now. Just… give me time.”

Will sighed, his hands hanging limp in Nico’s. “Would it be pointless to ask how much time?”

Nico squeezed Will’s wrists. “I don’t know. But I will, I promise.”

Will leant forward again, his forehead hitting Nico’s, hard enough to move him, but not enough to hurt. “All right. I’ll wait.”

Thank god. Thank god. Thank god.

“Thank you.” His body slid down. He laid his head on Will’s shoulder.

Will wrapped his arms around him, tentatively, not really hugging him, just sort of resting there. “Of course.”


	11. Suit shopping.

The next time Jason tried to kiss him that way, Nico pulled back, biting his bottom lip and looking down. His chest called out for the desire for human contact. He tried to swallow it away.

“Sorry.”

“Nico.” Jason put his hands to Nico’s arms, making him jump, though he was gentle. “Don’t ever apologise for not wanting to do something you’re uncomfortable with. To me or anyone.” He leant forward so he was looking Nico in the eye, his gaze intense. “Promise me.”

Nico smiled. “All right.”

“Good.” Jason rubbed Nico’s arms, standing back up. “We should get going.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “You’re too punctual. There’s no way Percy’s gonna be on time.”

“Except Annabeth’s coming to make sure everything’s perfect.”

“Oh, right. That would do it.”

“Would you two just leave already!”

Jason leant around Nico, glaring at Leo. “I live here too, you know.”

“Yeah, but you’re being all gross with your boyfriend.” 

Nico took Jason’s hand, pulling him out. “Let’s just go.”

“Nico.” Jason shot Leo a glare before they closed the door. “He didn’t mean it like that. He gets like that with every couple.”

“I know. Don’t worry. Let’s just go.”

Jason leant down and kissed Nico’s cheek. “All right, let’s go.”

Nico watched the ground in front of his feet as they walked. He cleared his throat to keep it from feeling like it was closing in on itself. “So, Percy seems to have calmed down a lot since he and Annabeth got together.”

“Has he?” Jason struggled to unlock his car with only one hand.

His throat still felt tight, but the talking was helping. His lips even twitched with a smile. “Yeah. He used to be so self deprecating and depressed. But now it’s like he’s healing.”

"I think that’s what happens when you meet your soulmate.”

“Yeah.” He gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I’m glad it’s Annabeth.“

There was a pause and Nico looked over to see Jason watching him.

"It looks like you’re really over him.”

He glared at the car. “I have been for almost five years.”

Jason shrugged. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell with you.”

Nico thought of Reyna, knowing about Jason, and about Will right away. “Just get in the car, Captain America.”

Jason looked overly offended at that. “I think that makes you Black Widow or something.”

“Cool.”

He rolled his eyes and started the car.

Nico had been right about Percy being late, but it was only by five minutes. Annabeth leant into him as they walked, pushing him to the side so he had to fight against her to keep upright. He wondered if that was actually why they were late.

“Hey, guys. Sorry for Percy’s abysmal time management skills.”

“Hey!”

She grinned at him. “Are you guys ready to pay less for all your suits combined than my wedding dress alone?”

“I still don’t know why we have to do something so big.” Percy played with the sleeve of her sweater.

She blew a puff of air through her lips. “This was your idea. I wanted a quiet ceremony with only our family and closest friends. You’re the one that got to talking about halls and food and cake. What?”

He smiled at her. “You’re so cute when you’re frustrated.”

“You are such a jerk.”

“Yeah, but I’m your jerk.” He held up her hand, showing her the ring on her finger. “You get to wake up to this face every day for the rest of our lives.”

She sneered at the ring, holding it in the sunlight. “Yeah. I wonder if it’s too late to make an exchange.”

“What?”

“Preferably someone who doesn’t snore.”

“I don’t snore.”

“Jason’s pretty cute. What do you say, Nico? Wanna trade?”

Nico looked at Percy and wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, no. I already dodged that bullet.“

"Guys, I’m standing right here.”

“How could we forget?”

Percy pointed at him. “I still have time to find a new groomsman.”

“Go ahead.”

The two had a staring contest that lasted a full minute before Percy looked away, which was good because Nico was about to do the same. Not because he was worried Percy actually would replace him, but because he was surprisingly scary when he glared.

“All right, boys, can we do this, please? I have somewhere to be in two hours.”

“You didn’t have to come along, you know.” Percy took her hand, following her inside. “I could have done this on my own.”

Annabeth laughed, loudly and mockingly. “No. You’ve never even worn a suit before. Not even to prom. And you didn’t want your mum to come along.”

“I do not need my mum to take me shopping. I am a grown man.”

Jason lowered his brows at him. “You still dye your food blue.”

“No one asked you!”

Nico inched away from the others, moving to a section of the store with smaller sizes.

When he went back to Annabeth to have her take a look at his suit, he realised she hadn’t even noticed he was gone. She was fixing up Percy’s dress shirt, slapping away his hand when he reached up to mess with it.

“Holy- Nico, it’s perfect.” She ran her hands over his body, examining every non-invasive inch of the suit, making him a tad bit uncomfortable. “Did you have help?”

“No. I already know how to wear a suit.”

“That’s amazing. It figures you’d be gay. The one man our age in America who can pick out a good suit and you’re off the market for us.”

He grinned. “Yeah, but with such good picks like Percy, why would it matter?”

They looked over to him, posing as Jason held a green-blue vest up to his chest, telling him how it brings out the colour in his eyes.

“Are you sure I’m the one you should have asked to switch with you?”

Annabeth crossed her arms, shifting her weight to one side so her hip jutted out. “We all somehow thought he was straight.”

“Jason or Percy?”

Annabeth burst out into laughter loud enough to draw the attention of the sales clerks, who looked at them like a bunch of rowdy kids. Despite this embarrassment, Nico smiled.

Annabeth used his shoulder to help stand up, clearing her throat. “Go get dressed. I already got everyone’s ties, handkerchiefs, and cufflinks. So as soon as you pay for your suit, you can go.”

“Wow. Are you looking for a new job, because I could use a life planner.”

“Just go. I have to check on Grover.”

Nico paid for his suit and went to leave. Stopping by the door, he turned to see Percy complimenting Jason in his new suit. He cupped his free hand around his mouth. “Get a room.”

Percy wrapped his arm around Jason and blew a kiss.

When Nico side-stepped it, he looked absolutely distraught, making him want to apologise. But he just told them he was going for a walk and left.

He went about ten feet before realising it was snowing. He looked up and just watched it fall for several minutes. He hated snow, the entire winter season, but ever since hew was a child, he couldn’t help but watch it fall for the first time every year.

“Nico?”

He looked over to Will, who was with a girl he didn’t recognise He was smiling as they walked over.

He didn’t realise he was so cold while lost in his thoughts. He zipped his jacket up all the way and turned to them. “Hey.”

“Going to a funeral?” Will pointed to the bag in his hand.

“A wedding, actually. A couple friends are getting married.”

“Oh, okay. That would certainly make more sense. But, I gotta say, it ruins your whole death boy image.”

“Are you still on that?”

“You showing up to class in a shirt that says ‘I am the ghost king’ warrants at least three years of mockery.”

“It’s my night shirt. I woke up fifteen minutes before class. Give me a break.”

“Not a chance. besides, it’s not like you really cared about the class. Why not just be late?”

Nico blushed. He really hated the class, and contemplated dropping it several times. But it was the only time he got to see Will, so he stuck through the entire awful semester.

“Whatever. What are you doing in town?”

Will shrugged. “Just catching a movie. We’re gonna get some food first. You, maybe, wanna come?”

Nico caught the way his friend looked at him, with raised eyebrows and a poorly suppressed grin. All that was missing was a little twist of the body, and she’d look just like Hazel whenever Nico had a crush.

“Sure. I could use something to eat.” Actually, he wasn’t hungry at all, but he was feeling pretty good, and spending time with Will seemed like the best way to ruin that.

Honestly, he would ruin every good day he’d ever have again if it meant spending time with Will.

They went on their way, the three of them walking in a line with Will at the centre. Their hands brushed as they walked, and, though he should have, Nico didn’t pull away.


	12. Who's Will?

Will bumped Nico with his shoulder. “Stop laughing. It’s not that funny.”

“It is.” He nodded his head frantically. “It’s really, really funny.”

Will threw a fistful of flour at Nico, hitting him right between his eyes, shutting his laughter off and making him yelp.

“Oh, no you didn’t.”

“But it was really, really funny.”

Nico took an egg, and, after struggling with Will for a minute, smashed it against the side of his face.

Will pulled him forward, kissing him.

It took no time at all for Nico to get over the shock and kiss him back, tugging at Will’s shirt to get him closer, pull them together.

They heard a crash and jumped apart, Nico sitting up, caught between alert and dazed as he tried to figure out what was going on.

Hazel stared at him with wide eyes, her computer laying sideways on the floor, opened.

“Who’s Will?”

Nico froze. “What?”

“Who’s Will, Nico?”

He’d been talking in his sleep again. Shit. “He’s a friend from class.”

“Don’t lie to me. That’s not how you say a friend's name.” She put a hand to her mouth, her eyes opening wide. “Oh god, Nico. Are you cheating on Jason?”

“What? No!”

“Then why won’t you tell me the truth?”

“He really is just a friend.”

“But you like him.”

“Hazel-”

“And you’re with Jason.”

“You don’t understand.”

“You’re with Jason, and you like someone else. Do you even like Jason?”

“Hazel, it’s so, so stupidly complicated.”

“Then explain it.”

His head hurt. This would happen. This was exactly the time of year his life fell to pieces, always right after it started to look up. He could set his watch to it.

“All right, fine. Just please calm down. And don’t interrupt me until I finish.”

She sat up straight, hands on her lap, watching him intently. The complete opposite of calm.

She looked more and more horrified as he told his story. By the end of it, she was leaning back in the chair, staring at a random spot without even blinking.

“Can you say something? Please?”

She looked to him, shaking her head slowly, gaping. “I can’t believe this. You’re both idiots.”

He flinched. “Yeah.”

“How could you think this would work?”

“Well, at first I didn’t. I just thought we’d do this for a few weeks before we were found out. But, the longer it went, the more real it seemed.”

She looked back to the window, shaking her head. “You know you have to break up with him, right?”

He closed his eyes tight. “We can’t.”

“Well you can’t keep doing this. Nico, I stayed quiet while you closed yourself off in your room, cut everyone out, starved yourself, and got into all those stupid fights. I was only twelve then. I didn’t know what to do. But I’m not going to stand by again and watch you continue with these self-destructive tendencies. You have to end this.”

“Hazel, Please.” He hated how desperate and pathetic he sounded, but he couldn’t dwell on it. “If I end things now, it’s gonna seem suspicious. We need more time, and a reason.”

“Nico, I really don’t think-”

“Please. If we fake some big fight and end it now, it’ll ruin not only Percy’s and Annabeth’s wedding, but maybe even our friendship. We have to do this right.”

She pursed her lips, glaring at him. For a very long moment, he thought she would say she was going to tell the others, and he had to hold his breath to keep from hyperventilating.

“Fine.”

He breathed out, feeling light headed. “Thank you.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“And I wish you would have told me.”

“I know. Jason asked me not to. Sorry.”

“Of course he did.”

Nico still felt like he would pass out. But he felt better. So much better. Now Hazel knew, and she was mad, but she didn’t hate him.

Except now he had to think about how to end this thing with Jason, which was something he’d been avoiding until then.


	13. Past Relationships.

Will looked like he was dying in that Tuesday's class. He stared out the window, his shoulders slumped and bags under his eyes. Nico hadn’t seen him like that since the Greek Civ final when he had strep.

“What wrong?”

He jumped when Nico sat down, paling at the sight of him. “Nico, hi.”

Nico dropped his bag, staring at Will. “Hi. Are you okay?”

Will played with his fingers, digging one thumb nail under the other. “Um, that depends.”

Nico moved to the side, trying to catch Will’s eye, though he was blatantly avoiding looking at him. “Depends on what?”

Will pushed his mouth into his shoulders, straining his eyes to look in the opposite direction from Nico. “Um, can we talk?”

Nico felt like he couldn’t breathe. This was it. This was where Will told him he couldn’t do this anymore, that he had someone else, that he knew everything and hated him.

“What is it?”

Will sighed, closing his eyes, sinking into himself.

Just say something. Anything.

“I think-” His voice cracked. “I think Jason’s cheating on you.”

“What?” Nico’s first reaction was to laugh. Jason didn’t cheat. He didn’t have the temperament to be dishonest.

Then he realised Jason couldn’t cheat. They weren’t really together. Which meant, if Will’s suspicions were founded, then Jason could really be with someone.

If he had someone real while Nico was dealing with- with this! He’d kill him. He wouldn’t even let Nico tell Hazel. Other flames were off the table, especially for him.

“With whom?”

Will shuffled around, gripping one hand over the other. “I don’t know. I just saw him the other day with a guy. They were getting really comfy with each other, hanging all over each other, nudging each other and laughing.”

A guy? Wait a minute. “What did he look like?”

“Um.” Will blushed. “Short black hair, green eyes. Really good looking. He kinda made me think of those Greek statues.”

Nico did laugh, so hard it hurt. Everyone in the room stared, but he hardly noticed. “Jason- Jason’s not cheating on me with Percy.” He gasped for air, wheezing. “Percy’s completely straight, trust me.”

Will stared directly at him. “Trust you?”

Nico tried to breathe, coughing. “Yeah. I, um, tried that already.”

Will blushed, looking down. “I see.”

Nico’s laughter died away a little at that. he cleared his throat. “Yeah. I had a crush on him, back when I was ten. It never went anywhere, though. He already liked Annabeth, his fiance.”

“Oh, wow. That’s young.”

“Yeah. My first crush. Figures, right?”

Nico smiled. Will looked lighter now. Had he really been so worried about Nico being hurt that he worked himself into this state?

He couldn’t tell if he was lucky, or unlucky to have someone like Will care for him like this.

Percy was great. He was strong, brave, loyal to a fault. He was a hero.

But he gave up on people too easily. One mistake and his trust was gone. Nico still remembered when he was twelve and he’d accidentally got Percy arrested. He’d called his dad to get him out, but by then the damage was done. He’d thought Nico had done it on purpose, and thought of it as a betrayal.

They’d never been the same since. Nico couldn’t even remember what “the same” felt like, anymore.

Please don’t let Will be another Percy.

“So, what about you?”

“Me?”

Nico nodded. “Who was your first crush?”

“My first crush. Um. I think it was Rachel, when I was thirteen.”

A girl. All these people who are, or could be with someone of the opposite sex, and they still chose to subject themselves to what this life brought them. Why?

“But that didn’t last long. A couple weeks. Now, my first crush on a guy was when I was sixteen. His name was Mitchell, and we dated for a week.”

“You said-” Nico’s mouth went dry, and he wished he’d kept it shut.

“Yeah?”

He rubbed his palms on his jeans. “You said you had a lot of bad relationships in the past. Can I ask why?”

He looked Will in the eye, though he wanted desperately to look away. He hated that moment of guilt that passed through Will. Nico recognized it. They all had those bad decisions that wrecked them years later.

Will sighed, looking down at his hands. “I hit a low point a few years ago. I got really lonely, and I craved attention, from anyone. For a while I was in and out of relationships, one after the other. And every relationship that ended took a bit of my self worth. The people I got with were worse and worse. But I didn’t want to be alone, and I didn’t think I could do better, so I took what I got.”

Nico could barely make a sound. He managed a whispered, “what changed?”

Will looked him in the eye with an expression more intense than Nico had ever seen on him.

His heart skipped, making his fingers twitch.

“You did.”

It skipped again. “What?”

Will held his gaze, his expression steady. “When I first met you, I was dating this awful jerk, Ethan. But, when I saw you, something just clicked. Like, even though you hadn’t even looked at me, I could do better. I guess it was the way you carried yourself, like you were healing. I wanted to heal, too.” He smiled, looking down at his hands again. “I think I already liked you then, and that was before I even started talking to you.”

Nico grit his teeth. God damnit! All his life he wanted this, wanted what he saw between his mother and father, and here it sat in front of him, in the form of a loser from Texas, and he couldn’t do a single thing about it.

“I’m sorry.”

Nico jumped. “What? For what?”

“For pouring this on you like this. You don’t need my sappy love confession when you’re with Jason. I don’t mean to make things weird or uncomfortable.”

Nico’s heart beat frantically. He’d said “love”. Of course he hadn’t meant it in the serious sense, just in the casual “crush” sense, but he’d still said it.

“God, no. Don’t apologise. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

Will looked up at him, and Nico could have imagined him leaning closer, but he didn’t think so. “Thanks, for letting me talk about it. It helps.”

“Yeah.”

Nico watched Wills eyes dart to his lips, then he sat back. “We should go to work. I think professor Iris is going to kick us out.”

Nico looked to the old hippie teacher, who didn’t usually care what they did as long as they turned in their sketches and she could see improvement, was practically glaring at them. Perhaps three classes in a row of not working was a bit too much.

He pulled his sketchbook out and proceeded to draw Will in various ridiculous poses for the rest of the class. He couldn’t help but smile, and even laugh, at the goofiness of this stupid loser

He was definitely leaning on the happy side of this line he’d been walking.


	14. Doctor Solace.

Nico ran into Will the next day when he came out of his Advanced Writing class. He hadn’t even noticed him. Actually, he’d been having trouble focusing in class, despite it being his favourite.

“Woah, careful.” Will grabbed his arms, holding him steady. “I know we haven’t seen each other in about twelve hours, but don’t get too excited.”

“Sorry.” Nico looked up at him, then back in the direction that he was originally headed. “I gotta go. I have work.”

“Hey, are you all right?” Will ducked down to Nico’s height, which usually bothered him, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

He looked between Nico’s eyes while he just blinked.

“I’m gonna be late.”

Will put his hand to Nico’s forehead. “No, you’re going to bed. You’ve got a fever.”

Nico scowled. “I’m fine.”

“You are not. You need rest and fluids.”

“I need to get to work.”

Nico pulled away from him, but Will grabbed his wrist. “So you can pass out? No.”

“You’re not the boss of me.”

“Real snappy comeback. Are you five?”

Nico wrestled against his grip, but Will just took his other wrist in his hand.

He hated to admit it, and had no intention of doing so out loud, but if Will could overpower him, he might really be sick. And it had come along fast. When he woke up three hours ago, he felt fine, great even. Now, after spending this last bit of energy, he felt ready to faint.

And Will could tell. “Nico? Should I get in touch with Jason? Would you rather have him take care of you?”

Nico scowled, though his face felt foreign, like it wasn’t his, just one he put on this morning. “I don’t need to be taken care of.”

“Every sick person needs to be take care of. Now, either I can do it, or I can call Jason.”

Nico shook his head. “Don’t call Jason.”

Jason would have just freaked out and fumbled. He was great at peopleing, but Nico remembered being called in a panic one night when Piper had food poisoning.

Nico just needed a nap.

“Then let’s get you home.” Will wrapped his arm around Nico, which felt very warm. It was nice, but the complete opposite of what he needed right then.

Nico was appalled with himself, needing to be half carried home. he hadn’t been this weak since high school.

Reyna wasn’t home, which figured. He contemplated calling Hazel, but, when Will helped him into bed, he decided against it. It was a cheap trick, but he was alone with Will, in a place where they couldn’t be seen by others.

And, if Will caught him staring, he could just blame it on the fever.

He called his work and they told him to get well soon. They must have heard in his voice how sick he was. Usually they sighed or were sarcastic with him.

“Now, was that so hard?” Will handed him a glass and two white pills. “Drink the whole cup.”

Nico scowled again. “You’re bossy.”

“Yep. Drink.”

He did, chugging it with difficulty. His throat had started to hurt, and he had to swallow large amounts to keep from cringing.

“I didn’t mean all at once.”

Nico handed him the cup back.

“All right. Now sleep.

He didn’t want to. When he thought Will might be gone when he woke, he wanted to fight healing for as long as possible. This would be the only time they would have this.

"Sleep.” Will pushed him down, covering him up to his chin. “I’ll make you some food for when you wake.”

Nico huffed and waited for Will to leave his room before throwing the blankets down to his waist. It was too hot for that.

Will was staying. He would be asleep for it, but Will was staying by his side.

He groaned, opening his eyes lightly at the feeling of being touched. He looked up at Will, smiling at him.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.”

“It’s morning?“ He looked to the window, but Will had put up his sunlight blockers.

"No. It’s five at night. But it sounded good in my head.”

Nico chuckled, closing his eyes and feeling the way Will played with his hair. “Dork.”

“I’ve been told. Are you up for eating something?”

Not if it meant this moment had to end.

“I could probably manage.”

Will left, making the room feel empty, then came back with some chicken noodle soup. He helped Nico sit up, then handed him the bowl. “It’s hot.”

“I think I can manage.”

“Well aren’t you the big tough boy.”

Nico glared. “I will kick you out.”

No he wouldn’t.

Will sat down on the bed next to him, watching him with a little smile.

Nico wanted to ask what it was, but didn’t want to scare him away. He liked being looked at like that.

“You look lost in thought. What’s wrong?”

Nico put his spoon down in his bowl, staring at it as if asking the broth for answers. It would likely make better decisions than him. “Just-” He bit his lip. Could he also blame this on the fever? “When I was a kid, I went through some stuff with my family. And I didn’t handle it well. I’d get in a lot of fights at school, which was really the least of it.

"But, when I was fourteen, I finally told Percy I’d liked him, which was a big part of my problem, to clear the air and move on and stuff.

“Except these guys overheard, and I guess it freaked them out or something. They started harassing me. Little things at first, that I could ignore; names, taunts, crude gestures. But then it got physical. They’d lock me out of the locker room, shove me around. I already had a reputation for fighting, so the teachers didn’t pay much attention. Not sure if they would if I didn’t, once I was out. Our school wasn’t exactly gay friendly.”

He gripped the bowl tight. Five years later and his hands still shook.

Will put an arm around him and he calmed.

“One day they jumped me. Six or seven of them. I couldn’t take them. They just held me down and wailed on me.” The ghost pains were light, like three day old bruises, but still there. “That’s when Jason nailed one of them in the side of the head. He hit a wall and got a concussion.

"I couldn’t really take the others even after they let go of me, since I was in such bad shape, but Jason hit them a few times, and they ran away.

"I didn’t know the guy aside from meeting him a few times when he was with Percy. We weren’t friends. He didn’t even like me all that much. But he and I got suspended for three weeks. He never blamed me, though. Even after his parents flipped.”

He felt Will breathe beside him. “You really like him.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just, I never imagined my life would look like this back then. I had no friends, I hated myself, I didn’t get along with my family. I guess I was just trying to make sense of what you told me yesterday.”

Will’s hand touched his, his finger curling around one of Nico’s. “Thanks.”

He put his head on Will’s shoulder, closing his eyes.

It was the fever.

“Will?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you stay until I fall asleep?”

Will chuckled. “Of course.” He put the back of his hand on Nico’s cheek and it was cold.

He leant into it.

The fever was at fault.


	15. Are you okay?

Nico didn’t do much of anything for a while. He didn’t answer his phone or respond to messages. He requested a few weeks off work and told his teachers he was ill, getting permission to take his finals at home.

His friends gave him space, stopping by a few times to check on him, but always leaving when he refused to see them.

A week after classes ended, after he’d asked Reyna to stop coming to him when they stopped by, to just send them away, he heard Will’s voice outside.

He started crying again, the stupid aching pain that he’d finally managed to numb bubbling up. He curled his legs into himself, twisting his torso so it pushed into his bed, suffocating himself in his pillow, muffling his pathetic squeaky whines.

Reyna knocked on his door lightly, opening it. “Nico?” She paused for a moment, knowing he wouldn’t respond, but giving him the chance to anyway. “Will’s here. He wants to see you.” She paused again. “Do you want me to send him in?”

Nico didn’t respond for a moment, intending to let her send him away, but then he nodded.

He heard footsteps in his room, and the door shut.

“Nico?”

He gripped the pillow, squeezing it until his arms shook. He wished he hadn’t let him in.

Will sat down beside him, the bed sinking into his weight.

“I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Nico held his breath.

“Nico.” He put his hand on Nico’s back. “I’m worried about you.” He started to rub small circles over his skin, pushing down with the heel of his palm. “Can you talk to me? Please?”

Nico’s body lurched as he started to cry, straining to keep it down.

“Nico? Hey.” Will leant over him, his arm sliding over Nico’s shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

Nico curled into a ball. contracting his muscles, wrapping himself around his pillow as the sounds of his sobs came out.

“Hey, hey.” Will pulled him up and held him to his chest. He pried the pillow from his grip and wrapped his arms around him. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, it’ll be okay.”

Nico grabbed him, squeezing him, sobbing into his chest. His voice reached a wail. as Will rocked him, whispering small comforts into the side of his face.

He’d been fine. The pain was almost gone.He’d dealt with it as he had every year. Then Will had to show up and make him feel again.

When he cried out everything he had, Will continued to hold him. He just laid against his chest, eyes half closed and burning, and listened to Will’s heart. His breathing grew more even as Will played with his hair.

When he started to fall asleep, he felt Will move, jilting him awake. He grabbed the arm that was still around him, heart beating violently. “Don’t go.”

“Hey. Calm down. I’m not leaving.” He reached down and pulled the blanket over them. “It’s cold, and nothing helps the blues like wrapping yourself in a blanket.”

Nico blinked his eyes as he started to doze.

“Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

He did, listening to Will’s heartbeat mix with his humming, and the vibrations in his chest that came with it.

He thought he felt Will kiss the top of his head, but that could have been his dream.


	16. A Walk.

He woke slowly to the sound of talking. Will and Reyna. He blinked a few times to chase away the heavy goopy feeling he always had in his eyes after crying.

He groaned as his head pounded harshly.

“Well good morning, sunshine.”

Nico sat up, a little disoriented by the hard-ish surface he was sleeping on.

He realised it was Will and another pound came at the panic that caused. In this messed up scenario he had going on with Jason, sleeping cuddled up next to Will was on the list of “definitely not okay”.

“Woah. Calm down.” Will grabbed Nico’s arms, forcing him to sit back. “You’re in awful shape.”

He groaned again, covering his eyes with the blanket to block out the light.

Will pulled the blanket down. “Does your head hurt?”

“Like hell.”

“I’ll get some pain killers.” Reyna left the room.

“Are you all right?”

Nico huffed, covering his eyes with his arm. “My head’s about to explode, and I feel like something laid eggs in my face."

Will laughed. "That’s an interesting description.”

“But accurate.”

Reyna came back with a couple pills and some water.

“Will. Can I talk to you?”

Will looked down, then smiled at her. “Sure.” He put a hand on Nico’s knee before following her out.

Nico rushed as quietly as he could to the door to eavesdrop.

“Thank you.”

“Oh. You’re welcome.”

“You’re the first person Nico’s seen aside from his sister.”

There was a pause. Nico wished he could see their faces.

Will gave a pitiful laugh. “You know, I thought you were going to tell me to stay away from him.“

"No. Nico can make his own decisions. There’s nothing anyone can do to change his mind, weather it’s spending time with you, or dating Jason.”

“You don’t approve of them?”

Reyna sighed, the kind she did when crossing her arms and looking off to the side. “We both know they won’t last. They’re not a good fit. Jason’s too timid around Nico, too accommodating. He lets him get away with too much. We all do.” She paused. “Leftover habit from when were were teenagers.”

Will said something too muttered to hear, even when Nico put his ear to the space between the door and the jamb.

“Yeah. They have.”

“I see. I was kind of hoping…”

“He’s not that passive.”

Reyna sounded almost angry. What were they talking about?

“Well, that was all I wanted to say.”

“Right. I’m going to see if I can get him outside for a bit.”

“Good idea.”

Nico rushed back to the bed, pulling the blankets over his head as the door opened.

“All right, sleeping beauty, that’s enough rest. Time for some exercise.”

Nico pulled the blankets down to his shoulders. “I’m fine here.”

“You’ve been in here for two weeks. You need to go for a walk.”

“I don’t need a walk.” Really, Nico didn’t feel like he could stand. His limbs still shook when he moved, and he felt drained just from standing by the door.

“You’re going out for air, doctor’s orders.”

Nico scowled. “You’re not a doctor.”

Will tore the covers from him, throwing them on the floor. “Up.” He wrapped an arm around Nico’s torso, and grabbed his arm with the other hand, dragging him to his feet.

He looked at Nico with furrowed brows. “You’ve lost weight.”

Nico blushed. “Let’s just go, Solace.” He stormed from the room, stumbling and catching himself on the wall.

Will, who had some of the slowest reflexes Nico had ever seen, wrapped his arm back around Nico. “All right, I got you.”

“This is humiliating.”

“I’m sure falling on your face is much more dignified.”

Nico pursed his lips. “Whatever. Let’s just go.”

Will helped him into the kitchen, where Reyna was packing them a bag.

She handed it to Will. “There are hand warmers, thermoses with hot cocoa, and sandwiches Hazel made. Make sure he eats.”

“Hazel stopped by?” Why hadn’t Reyna sent her in? Nico always welcomed Hazel, no matter his state.

“A couple hours ago, while you were sleeping. She checked on you, made food, and left.”

Nico put on his jacket, gloves, scarf, and hat, and slipped into his giant slow boots. Before leaving, he wrapped a thick shall around himself.

Will followed, catching up to him at a jog. "What’s wrong now?”

“Just not happy I missed my sister.”

Will put an arm around him, shrugging when Nico raised a brow. “Just making sure I can catch you if you fall. I’m not exactly fast.”

Nico smiled behind the scarf.

They walked in silence for about an hour before Nico stopped in front of a graveyard.

Will turned to it, waiting a moment before looking to Nico. “Do you want to go in?”

He shook his head. “No one I know’s in there.”

He continued on, Will stalling before he followed.

“My sister, Bianca, died nine years ago.”

Will stopped, looking down at him, but Nico continued on, keeping his eyes forward.

“She went to a girls school, and joined this wilderness club. At the time my dad was still mourning our mum, so we stayed at our schools over the summer and winter breaks. While I spent Christmas that year playing card games by myself, Bianca’s group went on this long hike.”

He looked to the ground, brushing at his eyes, but the gloves just pushed the tears around his face. “It was an accident. She stepped on a piece of Ice and fell over the edge of a cliff.”

Will took his hand, squeezing it.

“The rope-” His voice caught. His jaw tightened and his throat constricted. “The rope snapped and she fell sixty feet.”

Will hugged him, holding him tightly to his chest.

“It took twelve hours for her to die. She had internal bleeding and a concussion. And she was conscious for all of it.”

He grabbed onto Will’s shirt, gripping and twisting it in his hands. The tight fabric made his fingers burn. He pulled even tighter.

“I didn’t even find out for a week after. No one told me about it. I called her school to talk to her because we were having a fight. I yelled at her before she left! It was the last thing I did to her!”

Will ran his hands through Nico’s hair, but it didn’t help. The twisting and ripping in his stomach got worse.

He felt sick. He pulled away from Will and retched.

It was like he did a one-eighty then, feeling numb. His body overloaded itself and shut off.

Will caught him as he collapsed, and carried him to a nearby park. He set him down on a bench and ran to get a bottle of water.

He came back, out of breath, and handed it to Nico.

He rinsed his mouth and took a few drinks, leaning against Will, who ran his fingers through his hair. The feeling was comforting. Nico closed his eyes and just felt it.

“I’m sorry, for throwing all of that at you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind you talking to me about things like this.”

Nico discarded his gloves and scarf on the ground with his hat, letting the cold air chill him.

“You know, I think she died because of me.”

“Nico-”

“No, really. Before she left I told her I hated her. It was the tantrum of a nine-year-old brat, but she looked so hurt by it. And I was glad. I’d wanted to hurt her. She was going to go to a new school in Washington, and I felt like she was abandoning me.”

He felt calm, like there was no more distress left in his body.

“I think that’s why she fell. She had to have been distracted. She would have never missed that ice if she’d been paying attention. She had to be observant, taking care of me. I was always getting hurt, so she would look around me to warn me about dangers I didn’t notice. She wouldn’t have missed the ice.”

“Nico, it’s not your fault.” Will made him turn to look at him. “You were a kid. Kids fight with their siblings all the time. It’s what siblings do. My sister and I have said much worse than ‘I hate you’. Heck, my sister broke my arm because I was playing with her soccer ball.” He pointed to a long white scar on his left forearm. “Just because something bad happened after, doesn’t make what you did wrong, or what happened your fault.”

Nico put his head on Will’s shoulder. “How are you such a good person?”

Will took a very deep breath, his chest rising and falling. “I’m not as good a person as you think I am.”

“Oh really?”

“I’m not. Nico, I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

Nico sat back, looking at him. “What is it?”

Will breathed out his nose audibly. “The truth is, I don’t just want you and Jason to break up.” He looked down at the ground in front of him. “I want to be the reason you break up. I want it to be because you like me more. I’ve been finding reasons to spend time with you, and flirting with you. Even though I don’t deserve you, I-” He closed his eyes. “I really want to be with you.”

Nico kissed him.

It took Will only a moment to wrap his arms around Nico’s waist, pulling him to his knees so he sat higher than him.

Nico took Will’s face in his hands, turning his head so they fit better together.

He pulled away, pushing on Will’s chest and stumbling back. “Shit! We can’t be doing this. I shouldn’t- I’m sorry- I shouldn’t have done that. Will, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t-”

“Nico?”

No. No, don’t make that face.

“I’m still with Jason. I just cheated on Jason.”

Will took his hands. “Break up with him.”

Nico closed his eyes tight turning his face away. “I can’t.”

“You can’t stay with him. Do you even like him?”

“Will.”

“Do you?”

He dropped his head, shaking it.

“Then why?”

“Will…”

“Nico, I said I’d wait for you to tell me what’s going on, and I have. But I need to know.”

Nico’s body curled forward. “I can’t.”

Will dropped his hands. “Then I can’t keep being around you. Not after this. Not without knowing what’s going on.”

Nico looked up at him.

He was scowling, his body pulled into himself, shoulders hunched forward, arms pulled in. His eyes were wet, but he wasn’t crying. “I’m sorry. I just… can’t.” He stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You should eat something.”

Nico watched him walk off. He tried to call out to him, but his voice just squeaked.

“Nico?”

He turned around to see Annabeth jogging toward him.

She pulled her headphones off, smiling, until she caught sight of his face. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

He was shaking, his face red. He felt far too hot. His breathing quickened. He wasn’t getting enough air. He gasped for more, growing frantic. He couldn’t breathe.

“Oh my god, Nico.” She took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. “Hold your breath.”

He did so, though his chest kept moving and he tried to gasp for air.

“Now let it out.”

He did, emptying his lungs.

“Again. Now let it go.” She gave him a moment. “Better?”

He nodded.

“All right.” She gathered his pile of stuff, put it into his bag, and shouldered it. “Now let’s get you home.”


	17. The Truth.

“Nico!” Hazel ran to his side when they came through the door. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Reyna helped him to the couch, sitting him beside Piper. “Nico. Does this have anything to do with Will?”

“Who’s Will?”

Annabeth came over with a glass of water, which Nico took, but didn’t drink. “I found him alone in the park having a panic attack.”

“You found him alone?” Reyna knelt in front of him. “What happened?”

He stared at the water. “He’s gone.”

“What do you mean, ‘gone’?”

“He left. He’s had enough.”

“Guys, who’s Will, and why has he had enough?”

Hazel looked to Piper, glaring, but not at her. “Will’s the guy Nico likes.”

“Wait, but Nico’s dating Jason.”

Hazel looked to him, but he didn’t care who knew. When he calmed down he probably would, but in that moment, he didn’t care about anything.

“Nico and Jason aren’t dating.”

“What?” Piper put her hand to her forehead, blocking her face like a salute. “Wait, what are you talking about?”

“They’ve been pretending to date so Thalia doesn’t get disowned.”

“Hold on.” Annabeth paced the room. “Let me get this straight. So you two are pretending to date so Thalia doesn’t get disowned, but Nico likes this Will guy.” She stopped, looking at Nico with lowered brows. “Are you talking about Will Solace?”

Reyna clicked her tongue, standing and moving around. “That’s the one. How do you know him?”

“He’s friends with Rachel and Clarisse.” Annabeth waved her hands in front of her. “But, okay, so back on track. Does Thalia know about this?”

Nico took a deep, shuddering breath and shook his head.

“Right, because she’d kill you both if she did.” She continued pacing.

Piper brushed Nico’s hair from his face, which was suppose to be comforting, but just made his stomach twist because Will was doing that same thing just a few hours earlier. “What was Jason thinking?”

“He wasn’t, obviously.” Hazel nearly collided with Annabeth when she turned her glare back to Piper and Nico. “He made a brash decision and then pulled my brother into it, using his sense of loyalty.”

“What do you mean?”

Hazel stopped her pacing and turned to face Piper square on, her glare making her shudder. “He knew Nico wouldn’t turn him down.” Hazel balled her fists up and shook them broadly. “He used my brother, knowing he would do anything to help the people around him, even if he hurt himself in the process.”

“Now, hold on a minute.” Reyna pushed herself off the wall she’d been leaning against, standing tall over everyone else in the room. “I’m not happy with Jason either, but let’s not get carried away. I don’t think he tried to hurt Nico. He probably doesn’t know anything about Will. Hazel didn’t even know anything about Will until a few weeks ago. Jason’s a white knight, but Nico falls under the people he wants to protect, too. We’ve all seen it.”

Everything in the room stopped. No one paced, or spoke, or grumbled, or sighed. They all just looked down.

Annabeth broke the silence. “So, what has Will had enough of? He knows you’re 'dating’ Jason, right?”

“That’s the problem.” Reyna went back to the wall, leaning her shoulder against it. “The two of them had something between them for a year before this started. Nico probably wanted to tell him the truth, but felt he couldn’t, and Will got tired of it.”

“Nico?” Piper leant into him. “Is this true?”

Nico closed his eyes tight and nodded. “He said we can’t be friends anymore. He can’t do it.”

“Oh, Nico.” She hugged him. “I am so sorry.”

He let his head drop onto her shoulder, but he just felt cold.

“You’re both idiots.”

“Annabeth!”

“It’s true, Piper. Thalia told me she was doing this before she did it. She knew it would cause problems. She knew June would be furious and her father would disown her. She’s twenty-eight for gods sake. Jason interfering was completely unnecessary.”

"Great.”

Everyone looked to Nico.

“So I lost Will for no reason at all.”

“Annabeth!”

Nico put a hand on Piper’s arm. “No. She’s right. I already knew it. I just didn’t want to admit it.”

She hugged him tighter, rocking him. “It’ll be okay. We’ll think of something.”

“You two have to break up.”

Nico took a deep breath. “We can’t. If I break up with Jason right before you’re wedding, Percy will be angry with me for hurting him, and Jason will be upset and mopey for the whole event.”

“So then we tell everyone what’s really going on.”

“And have both Percy and Thalia try to kill Jason?”

Annabeth groaned. “There has to be something we can do.”

“There is. After school starts back up, we’ll become distant and never have time for each other. After a few weeks, we’ll break up because it’s just too hard. It’ll save our friendship, and no one has to act too hurt by it.”

Hazel sat at his feet, resting her head on his knees. “You should at least tell Will.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s over. After today, he’ll never want to speak to me again.”

“Nico.” Piper pulled away from him just enough to look him in the face. “What happened?”

He groaned, pushing his palms into his eyes. “I kissed him.”

The entire room went silent so suddenly, Nico’s ears rang.

“You didn’t.”

He nodded.

Annabeth fell into the chair. “What were you thinking?”

He buried his face in Piper’s arm. “That he was being really attractive.”

Piper giggled and put her head on his shoulder. “If there’s ever a reason.”

Reyna took the seat on the other side of him. “So, as much as I would love to drag this out longer, I think we should probably let you go to bed.”

He nodded.

She put her hand on his shoulder. “I just have one more question.”

“Yeah?”

“What do you want us to do?”

Everyone shifted, looking at him.

He looked forward, away from all of them. “Nothing. Just act like normal. I’ll be fine. I got myself into this, and I’ll get myself out.”

Reyna nodded slowly. “All right. It’s decided then.” She pat his shoulder. “Get some rest.”

Piper kissed him on the cheek.

Hazel helped him up and walked him to his room.

He was surprised when she crawled into bed with him. But it was something she’d done often when they were kids and he’d been having a rough time. Just like Bianca did.

She held his hand while he drifted off.

“Hey, Nico?”

He hummed.

“Things will be okay.”

He took a deep breath, pulling in air until his lungs burnt. “I know. I’ll find someone else, eventually.”

She scooted in closer to him. “Maybe Will will understand.”

“No. He won’t. We’re done.”

She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” He swallowed away his tears. “Me too.”


	18. Mother.

Nico played the role of good boyfriend through the entire wedding. He didn’t flinch when Jason grabbed his hand while Annabeth and Percy said their vows, or when he squeezed it when they kissed.

When they sat at the wedding parties table, he spent the entire time with his side against Jason’s, and Jason’s arm around his shoulders.

When Piper gave him a worried look, he just shook his head at her.

Thalia still thought they were the cutest couple. When the dancing started, she sent them out and wouldn’t let them come back until Hazel literally pulled Nico away from him.

Annabeth, to Nico’s relief, seemed entirely consumed with Percy. Nico’s drama hadn’t seemed to affect her wedding at all.

After Percy’s dance with his mother, Sally found Nico and asked him for a dance.

She spent the first thirty seconds of it smiling at him, until he was burning up under her stare. “What is it.”

“Just proud of the man you’re becoming.”

He looked down. She shouldn’t be. He seemed to do nothing these days aside from hurt people.

“I’ve watched you since you were twelve-years-old and Percy thought I wasn’t aware he was sneaking you into his room so you would have a place to sleep after you ran away.”

“You knew about that?”

She ran a hand up and down his arm. “I dealt with Annabeth and Thalia, both runaways.”

“Then…” Nico bit his lip. “Then why did you let me get away with it? Why didn’t you send me home?”

She kissed his forehead, making him sigh, and his entire body relax, just a little. “I had no idea what you were going through. If I had sent you home, you might have just run away again. At least that way, I knew you were safe, and you had food and a place to sleep.”

“You weren’t worried about my dad or anything?”

“He knew.”

“What?”

She smiled down at him, that soft smile she’d always directed at everyone else that he’d always envied. He could barely remember his own mother looking at him like that. “He thanked me, when we saw each other on the street, for taking care of you when he couldn’t.”

She laughed in that sweet way, without an ounce of cruelty or mocking, and pulled him to her shoulder to help him hide his tears.

He thought his father had abandoned him, didn’t care where he went. Never once had he heard about him looking for him. He loved Bianca more, that was just a fact. Neither had ever tried to depute it.

But he never thought he’d loved Nico, too. Not then. Now, certainly. But Nico thought he’d learnt to, developed those feelings over time.

That he loved Nico as a child, as the broken man he was after losing his wife and daughter, he could hardly fathom.

“I know there are parents who don’t love their children.” Sally ran her hand over his head and rested it on his neck. “I can’t understand it, but I know. But you’re father isn’t one of them.”

He took a deep, shuddering breath. “Thank you.”

She kissed the top of his head. “Of course.”

She danced with him for three more songs until he was able to compose himself enough to face the rest of the guests.


	19. I Have Something for You.

Nico tapped on Percy’s shoulder mid-way through their sixth dance in a row. “May I cut in?”

He looked confused for a moment, holding his hands out awkwardly until Nico stepped past him and whisked Annabeth away.

“Your husband is the most awkward straight man I’ve ever met. He knows I can dance with women, right?”

She giggled. “I think he’s forgotten he can dance with women.”

“You’re implying he ever could.”

She snorted, which somehow seemed elegant in her dress. “You know, I have no idea why Percy was ever worried about Rachel. You’re so much worse than she could ever be.”

“You flatter me.”

She pulled him a small distance from the rest of the dancers. “So how are you doing?”

“Well, I just found out my dad didn’t hate me as a child, so there’s that.”

“You know what I mean.”

He sighed, dropping his head. “I’ve managed to numb myself. It’s really the best I can do right now. And Hazel won’t leave me alone for more than a few hours at a time, so I rarely have time to think. And Piper’s willingly seeking me out to spend time with, which is attracting the attention of Jason and Leo, but she just told them it’s because we like the same cartoon, which is somehow actually true.”

“So you’re okay?”

Her stare said she wouldn’t accept any answer but the truth.

“As I can be.”

“Good. I would hate to have to miss my honeymoon because I went to jail.”

“Not to mention you’d ruin your dress.”

The song ended soon after they finished talking, and Frank stepped in for a dance.

Percy pouted at him as he stood beside him. “I’m never going to get my wife back.”

“You’ll have her for the next twenty years.”

“Twenty?”

“Yeah, I figure that’s how long it’ll take her to find someone better.”

He glared at Nico. “I’d be more upset, but I’m kinda surprised you gave me that long.”

Nico grinned. “Really though.” He patted Percy’s shoulder. “Congratulations. I’m happy for both of you.”

“Thanks.” He looked at Annabeth, who was laughing over something Frank had said. “I really am the luckiest guy in the world.”

“She’s pretty lucky, too, ya'know.”

Percy looked down at him. “I’m kinda surprised to hear you say that.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I sorta thought you didn’t like me after how I treated you for all those years.”

He tried to look casual, but Nico could tell it really bothered him. And not just because everything bothered him more than he let on.

“I never hated you.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, drawing his shoulders forward. “You couldn’t control me liking you any more than I could.”

They were silent as they watched Annabeth dance with Leo. Things felt not-exactly-awkward between them, but it was somehow an improvement from the casualness they hadn’t quite realised was so forced before.

“Come with me.”

“What? Where?”

But Percy had already walked off, and Nico had to run to catch up.

He reached into the passenger side of his run down black truck and fished through his glove compartment.

“What are you doing? You just left your own wedding.”

“Found it.”

He handed Nico a small figurine, about three inches tall, of a man clothed in black.

Nico held it lightly, staring at it. His hands shook and he was scared of gripping it too tightly and crushing it. It was made for kids, so it was sturdy, but this particular one might as well have been made of gold.

“You still have it.” He twisted it, looking at all the little details. “Why? I told you to throw it away.”

“I wasn’t going to throw away your last present from your sister.”

Nico took a breath that was somehow calm. “So you’ve just been carrying it around all this time, moving it from place to place?”

“That about sums it up, yeah.”

He shook his head slowly, staring at the figurine. It had little gray holes for eyes that actually indented. “You’re crazy.”

“Yeah, well, she was my friend. I remember how excited she was when she found this thing.”

“Yeah, but still.“

"Hey. Don’t worry about it. We’ve been through a lot, but we’re still friends. And I’d do anything for my friends.”

“But you kept it even when you hated me.”

“What are you talking about? I never hated you.”

“You did, though. When I got you arrested. And when I accidentally broke Annabeth’s leg.”

“Nico, I never hated you.” Percy stood beside him and pulled him into one of his sideways bro hugs. “I didn’t really blame you for Annabeth’s leg. I was just worried and lashed out. But, I guess I never really apologised for that. Sorry.”

“Don’t. It was my fault, after all.”

“Hey. You know Annabeth would kick your butt for that kind of talk.”

Nico smiled. “If someone other than me had to have you, I’m glad It’s Annabeth.”

“Me, too.”

“Percy?”

“Yeah?”

Nico held the figurine close to his chest. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He gave Nico another bro squeeze.

Nico rolled his eyes. “Just give me a real hug, you loser. You won’t catch the gay.”

“Wait, really?” He grabbed Nico’s arms, turning him so they were facing each other. “I can have a real hug?”

“I’m going to change my mind.”

“No. No mind changing. You already said I could.” He pulled Nico into a hug, squeezing him tight and lifting him up, entirely ruining the mood.

“Okay. That’s enough.”

He pouted. “Okay.”

Nico pushed his elbows together behind him. “I am never hugging you again.”

“Oh, come on.”

“Never.”

Percy put his arm over his shoulder and leant on him, using all his weight. “How about this?”

Nico pushed him, but he wouldn’t budge. “Get off!”

“I don’t think I can.”

“Percy, I swear to god!”

“Gravity. It’s too much.”

“Unless you don’t want your deposit on that suit back, you’ll get off of me right now!”

He was laughing too hard to stand up straight when he finally did.

“Let’s get inside before your wife kills you for abandoning her.”

“All right, all right. Let’s go.”

Nico watched his figurine as he walked, a peculiar rush of love and pain mixing inside him.


	20. Cut the Crap.

“Dude, what’s that?”

Nico glared at Leo so he moved away from his shoulder. “It’s a figurine.”

“Isn’t that one of those geek toys?”

“Is that a Mythomagic figurine?” Frank sat down on the other side of Hazel.

“Yeah.”

“Is that Hades? How’d you get it?”

Hazel examined it. “Is it rare?”

“They only made two hundred of them, sixty years ago. They’re going for almost four-thousand on Ebay.”

“Four-thousand?” Leo made grabby hands at it. “Let me see!”

Nico pulled it to his chest, twisting away from him. “Buzz off, Valdez.”

“I just wanna look.”

“He got it from his sister.”

They all stopped and looked at Hazel, who had a soft smile.

“How did you know?” If Nico had realised she could tell, he wouldn’t have had it out in front of her. He always tried to keep Bianca and Hazel separate.

“You have that look on your face you always do when you think about her.”

“Hazel…”

“It’s okay. We both had different lives before we met each other. I don’t think I’m a replacement for her anymore.”

He took her hand, smiling at her. “You were never a replacement for Bianca.”

“I know.” She cleared her throat and blinked a few times to get rid of her tears. She got up and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “I love you. I’m going to dance some more.” She led Frank back to the dance floor.

“That was sweet.”

Leo jumped out of his chair when he noticed Clarisse right behind him.

She grinned down at him. “Hey there, Valdez.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m friends with the bride and groom. What are you doing here?”

“Didn’t you bully the groom for three years?”

“And now we’re friends. Get with the times.”

Leo shook his head, walking off, muttering “nope” to himself, over and over.

“What was that about?”

Clarisse took his seat. “I used to pick on the kid.”

“Who didn’t you used to pick on?”

She shrugged. “I had some problems when I was a kid. So sue me.”

“I’m sure Leo would if he could.”

She snorted. “Let him try. Even if he won, I’m sure I could afford the twenty dollars they would charge me for damaging his fragile psyche.”

“So I take it the football thing’s going well?”

“I’m still second string, but it’s only been two years.” She nudged his foot with hers. “What about your writing? Have you managed to finish anything yet?”

He grimaced. “Maybe when my life’s not so stressful.”

Clarisse leant forward on her forearms, giving him a serious look he wasn’t used to seeing on her. “And that brings us to the reason I sat down here.”

He leant away from her.

“What’s going on with Will?”

He gripped his hands in his lap. “There’s nothing to say. We’re not friends anymore.”

“Cut the crap, di Angelo. I like you, but Will’s my friend, and he’s been pouting for the last two weeks. And he won’t tell anyone anything, not even Lou Ellen. So I came to ask you.”

Nico looked at the dancers, avoiding the look Clarisse was giving him that he could feel physically burning. “It’s nothing. Things just happen. People drift apart.”

Clarisse sat back, crossing her arms. “Everyone can tell you’re hiding something. You’re overly dramatic. Nothing just happens with you.” She huffed. "You always look like a kicked puppy, but right now you like like you’ve kicked a puppy.” She tapped the table. “That puppy’s Will. Now, what I want to know is why. He likes you, and you like him. So why?”

Nico found Jason in the crowd and just watched him until Clarisse looked over.

“Huh.” She took a drink of whatever she had that was probably spiked. “Have you ever thought about polyamory?”

Nico laughed so suddenly he choked on his own spit. “That certainly would make my life much more simple.” He cleared his throat. “But I don’t think I can. And I don’t think Will would be satisfied with that, either.”

“You know, I didn’t come here to criticize you, or change your mind, but I think Will would take any way of being with you.”

“For now. But what happens when I can’t be there for him because Jason needs me, or if he asks me to do something with him and I already have plans with Jason? Or the other way around?” He sighed. “One relationship is hard enough. I don’t think I can handle two.”

She slung an arm over the back of her chair. “It’s a shame. People are too complicated.”

He hummed, wishing Percy hadn’t banned alcohol from the wedding. He had never been drunk before, but he thought now was a good time to try.


	21. Our Song.

Jason came up behind Nico, kissing him behind the ear, making him jump.

“Christ, Jason! We’ve been friends for five years. You should know better than to sneak up on me.” He rubbed at his ear.

“Sorry.” Yet the jerk was laughing.

Nico slapped his arm. “Did you just come over to scare me, or did you want something?”

He took Nico’s hand, sliding his fingers down his arm first, making his skin tingle. “I requested a song for us, come on.”

Nico groaned as he was pulled away, slinking along like a rag doll.

Jason slipped his hand around Nico’s back, pulling them together, holding his hand in his other.

Nico put his other hand on Jason’s arm, just below his shoulder, pressing his mouth to where he could feel the edge of his collar bone under his dress shirt.

He smiled and laughed into Jason’s shoulder when the song they’d danced to at prom came on. “Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah. How can I not play our song?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Great, our song is the cheesiest, most romantic song you could find.”

“Well, yeah. That’s what ‘our song’ is suppose to mean.”

“You’re a dork.”

Jason responded by leaning down and humming the song in his ear, making Nico laugh again before relaxing into him.

“Hey, Nico?”

He hummed.

“I think I really like you.”

Nico’s body tensed.

Jason wrapped his arm tighter around his waist, directing him through the motions. “Don’t freak out. I don’t have any expectations from you. I already know you don’t like me that way.” He buried his face in Nico’s hair, above his ear, taking a deep breath.

Nico felt him smile when he shivered.

“I just want to take advantage of this thing while we’re still doing it, as much as you’ll let me.”

Nico stared ahead, over Jason’s shoulder, his eyes not even catching on anything as they slowly turned. His heart beat so hard he felt it in his lips, where they were pressed against Jason. “How long?”

“I don’t know. Since the beginning, maybe. I’ve always wanted to spend time with you, and I’ve thought about you a lot. I could be wrong though.”

“What does that mean, you 'could be wrong’?”

“Just that I don’t know, really. I’ve only known for sure since our first kiss.”

“At your house?”

He kissed the place where his face touched Nico. “Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jason gave a long, deep sigh, pushing his face into the cook of Nico’s neck. “I never expected it to get this far. I thought I was just getting caught up in this play. Then, I got scared of losing you.”

Nico closed his eyes tightly.

“Please don’t say anything. Like I said, I already know you don’t like me. I just had to tell you.”

Nico took a breath that shook his entire body. “All right.”

Jason pulled away, looking him in the eye. He looked absolutely terrified, almost in pain. Even his eyes shook. “So it’s okay?”

“Yeah.” Nico looked down. “I kind of already knew, anyway.”

“What?”

“Um, yeah. It was in the way you kissed me.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Nico put his forehead on Jason’s shoulder. “I was scared of losing you.”

He looked up to see Jason watching his lips intently, enough to make Nico blush.

“I want to kiss you so badly right now.” He looked to Nico’s eyes. “Can I?”

Nico bit his lip, and felt Jason’s chest deflate, his breath brushing against his cheek.

He didn’t have Will anymore, in any way. There was no one for him to hold back for. Only himself and Jason.

But how much could he allow before he started to lead Jason on? He’d said he knew Nico didn’t- couldn’t like him the way he wanted. Could he trust that?

And Nico wanted to kiss him, too. He didn’t want to be alone, didn’t want to feel this pain that sat in the pit of his stomach, just waiting for something to happen. And, when he was being embraced like this, he didn’t.

Was it really okay for them to use each other like this?

They would have to talk about it after.

He stood on his tip toes, closing his eyes.

Jason lifted him, his arms wrapped all the way around him, hands resting on either of his sides, so he barely carried any of his own weight.

Will passed through his mind, and he took Jason’s face in his hands, chasing the image away. He just focused on Jason and himself.

If he said that worked, he’d be lying.


	22. Spring Semester.

Nico had not been looking forward to the first day of classes. The beginning of spring semester was always difficult for him, but this year was amped up to a ten. If Sociolinguistics wasn’t offered only once every four years, he would have taken it off.

At least he only had Abnormal Psychology today. That should prove to distract him and lift his spirits.

No.

This wasn’t fair.

Will sat in the front row, notebook out, reading glasses on.

He could sneak past him. At least for today he could avoid letting Will realise they had class together.

He’d been staring too intently. Will looked up at him, freezing when they locked eyes, dropping his pen.

He didn’t know what he’d expected Will to do. Run over to him? Embrace him, tell him he wanted to be with him, that leaving was a mistake? He, for some reason, didn’t expect him to look away, pretending nothing had happened.

He held his breath, looking to the floor as he rushed to the back of the room, taking the seat in the far corner.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

He spent the entire class staring at the back of Will’s head, trying not to be too intent, not to draw his eyes, not to let him know.

He watched him pack up when the class ended, never having taken out any of his supplies himself.

Will looked up when someone called out his name from the door. Nico looked over to see a ridiculously handsome man smiling at him.

He had no right to feel the jealousy he did. This was his fault.

When Will went over to him, he force himself to stand, to stay steady on his feet.

When they kissed, he nearly collapsed.

He had to get out, now, before he lost it in front of everyone. In front of Will.

He had to pass them as he left the building. He didn’t look up at Will, but he saw, from the corner of his eye, Will look at him.

That was it, the tears came, before he passed them, before his face was hidden, they just poured out. He turned his head down and went as fast as he could without running.

Will didn’t call out to him, or say anything.


	23. Comfort.

Nico hadn’t meant to go to Jason’s apartment. He just found himself there.

He’d been there countless times while upset. Jason had seen him cry so often, it felt weird to think about hiding it from him.

When Jason opened the door, he pushed his way inside.

“Nico, what’s wrong?” Jason shut the door, rushing over to him.

He looked up when Jason rubbed his hands up and down his arms. “Are you attracted to me?”

“What?”

Nico could see him blush, but he needed vocal confirmation. “Are you attracted to me?”

“Nico, you know I think you’re attractive.”

He huffed. “That’s not what I asked you. I asked if you’re attracted to me.”

Jason was so red he looked about ready to pass out from heat stroke. “Yes.”

Nico kissed him, reaching forward and pulling at his shirt.

Jason pulled away. “Nico, wait.”

He jumped back, breathing heavy. “What? What’s wrong?”

“What are you doing?”

Nico gaped at him. “I thought- Do you not want to?”

“What? No, Nico.” Jason covered his face with one hand. “Of course I want to. But, you’re upset. And your first time shouldn’t happen when you’re like this.”

“It’s not.”

“What?"

“I’m not a virgin.”

“You’re- What?”

Nico looked away. “I’m not a virgin. I haven’t been since I was fifteen.”

He could feel Jason watching him. Not that Nico blamed him. No one knew he’d slept with people before. Not even Reyna. He hadn’t wanted them to know.

“Who?”

He shrugged. “A guy at camp.”

He kept his eyes on a small stain on the rug as the silence dragged. If he stayed focused on that, he wouldn’t have to think about Jason being disgusted with him.

“Still. I don’t want you to regret this.”

“I won’t.”

“What?”

“I won’t regret it.” He looked up, locking eyes with him. “I’ve done this before. I won’t regret it.”

“You’ve done what?”

Nico scratched at his skin. “Used other men for comfort.” He took a breath. “That’s what this is. So there’s no misunderstanding.”

“Nico.”

“I don’t need to be coddled, Jason. I just need to know if you want to do this, yes or no?”

Jason brushed his cheek with the back of his fingers. “Of course I do.”

Nico closed his eyes, moving into his touch. "I’m a man.”

“I know.”

He looked up at Jason, looking him in the eyes. “And you still want to do this?”

Jason kissed him. “More than anything.”

He lifted Nico up, taking a moment to run his fingers down Nico’s neck, watching the way his skin flushed, and carried him to his room.


	24. Busted.

Nico struggled to wake up. His everything felt heavy.

When he sat up, something moved against his waist and he had a moment of panic until he looked beside him to see Jason trying to pull him closer.

He sighed and laid back down, watching the ceiling. He should have felt something. Probably shame, but he’d also felt cold, angry, miserable, and even once content. But now, he just felt empty.

He looked over at the clock, seeing that it was almost nine in the morning. He had a class in two hours; not that he could remember which one. Still, he should get ready.

Jason stirred when he tried to slip away. He groaned and blinked up at Nico, smiling way too brightly, like he was looking at something beautiful, not at Nico. “I missed watching you sleep.”

“You’re a creep.”

“I’m entitled to be a little bit of one.” He pulled lightly on Nico’s waist. “Lay with me for a while.”

“I have class at eleven.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Nico took a deep breath and laid back down. What could happen?

Jason snuggled up closer to him, burying his face in Nico’s neck. “You’re beautiful.”

Nico rolled his eyes.

“Really. You don’t see it, but everyone else does.”

“You just see the best in everyone.”

“Hey.” Jason pushed himself up on his elbows, looking down at Nico. “You’re beautiful. I know it, Reyna knows it, Hazel knows it. Even Percy and Annabeth know it. Everyone but you.”

Nico looked to the side, blushing. “Okay.”

Jason fell back to the bed, laying there, watching the side of Nico’s face for a while. His fingers ran lightly up and down his side. “Nico?”

He hummed.

“Are you all right? You’re not in pain or anything, are you?”

Nico rolled onto his side to face Jason, holding his arms to his chest. “I’m fine. It didn’t hurt at all.”

He smiled. “Good.”

“What about you? Did I hurt you?”

“No.”

Nico let out a breath. “Good. I was worried, since you’d never been with a man before.”

“No. You were perfect.” Jason kissed his forehead. “Thank you.”

Nico pulled the blanket up to cover the lower half of his face. “Am I supposed to say ‘you’re welcome’?”

Jason laughed.

This was nice. It felt like normal, somehow, even though they were both naked. He wished he liked Jason. Then everything could work out.

“I have to ask.”

“Yeah?”

Nico took a breath. “Does this mean you’re actually bi? Did your lie really become to truth?”

Jason sighed, his breath brushing over Nico’s eyelashes. “I don’t think so. I’m not attracted to any other guys. Just you.”

Lucky him.

“You know I can’t give you what you want, right?”

Jason brushed the hair from Nico’s eyes. “I’ve been friends with you for long enough to know that I’m not your type.” He played with a lock of hair, twisting it between two fingers. “Do you regret last night?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Good.” Jason pulled the blanket down lightly, so Nico could refuse, and kissed him. “Neither do I.”

Good. At least Nico hadn’t ruined this just yet.

“Jason, get your butt out here! I waited for you for an hour.” Piper slammed his bedroom door open, glaring at him. “You could have called- Oh my god!” She covered her mouth, stumbling backwards. “Oh my god.” She stared at them, wide eyed, looking between Jason and Nico. “Are you two- Did you- Oh my god!”

“Piper.” Jason sat up, the blanket falling down.

She screamed, covering her eyes. “Don’t get up!”

Nico grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down.

“I am going to wait out in the hall. Nico, put some clothes on and meet me out there.” Piper waved her free hand about, searching for something solid as she shuffled away.

Nico groaned, smothering himself in the pillow.

“Why does she want to talk to you? She knows we’re dating.”

Nico turned his face so he could speak clearly. “No. She knows we’re not dating.”

“What?” Jason paled, looking to the door. “How?”

“Hazel and Reyna found out. A few weeks ago I was having a hard time, and they told her.”

“Hazel and Reyna know?” Jason sat up straight, staring down at him. “How?”

“Well, Reyna knew right away. And Hazel found out back in November when I was talking in my sleep.”

Jason sighed, leaning back against the headboard. “Does anyone else know?”

“Um, just Annabeth.”

“Annabeth?” Jason’s voice was a yell, making Nico flinch.

He curled his legs into his chest. “Yeah. She found out at the same time as Piper.”

He slouched down, pushing the heels of his palms into his eyes. He sighed, slow and deep. “This thing is coming to an end, isn’t it?”

Nico stared at the wall over his lap. “Yeah.” He closed his eyes tight. “I think so.

Don’t be hurt. Don’t be hurt. Nico couldn’t handle hurting someone else.

He was shaking. He was about to lose his first real friend. After losing Will, this was the one thing he’d wanted most desperately to avoid.

Jason put his hand on the top of his head, just resting it there. "Everything will turn out okay. We’ll still be friends after this.”

That’s what Will had said, too.


	25. Come clean, part one.

Nico closed the door, turning the knob as he did so. He tried to keep his breathing even, making his throat hurt. He turned to Piper, who was giving him a glare that would rival Hazel’s.

“What was that?”

He was expecting her to snap, but it still made him flinch. “Um.”

“Did you two sleep together? Really?”

“That…” He looked off to the side. “Yes. But you can’t tell Hazel.” He looked to her, locking eyes. “Please.”

She gaped at him, eyes wide. “You can’t be serious. I think this is something she’d want to know.”

“You can’t.” He shook his head, looking to the floor. “She can’t know. She thinks I’m getting better.” He moved his hands about in jerky half motions. “She doesn’t know how messed up I still am. You can’t tell her, please.” He looked up at Piper, starting to cry, but he couldn’t seem to care. “I’ll do anything you say, just don’t tell Hazel.”

She sighed, her arms falling to her sides. “I’m not going to blackmail you.”

His tears came pouring out at that relief. “Thank you.”

“But, Nico, what were you thinking? This definitely does not count as ‘pretending’.”

“I know.”

“Jason really likes you.”

“I know.”

“And I think this falls under leading him on.”

“No. I told him it was just because I was upset. I told him, and he said it was okay.”

She raised a brow at him. “You told him about Will?”

Nico grabbed his arms, pulling his shoulders forward and hunching his back. “Um.”

Piper shook her head, pressing two spaced out fingers to her forehead. “If he doesn’t realise you’re attached to someone else, that counts as leading him on.”

Nico groaned, putting his face in his hands with a slap. “I know.”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want me to tell him?”

“No. I should do it.”

She hugged him. “Do you want to talk about what happened with Will yesterday?”

He shook his head. “He got a new boyfriend.”

She hugged him tighter. “Maybe, once this is over, he’ll come back to you.”

“No. He hates me.”

“Are you two okay?”

Nico jumped away from Piper on some sort of instinct.

He and Piper both blushed at the little purple bruises that sprinkled Jason’s torso.

Nico glanced to her. She was biting her lip and grinning at something. Probably a memory. He scowled.

“Nico?”

He looked to Jason, losing the tiny bit of nerve he had.

“Nico has something to tell you.”

He gave Piper a glare so nasty his head ached, making her stumble back a step.

“What is it?”

He looked back to Jason. He started to use his hands to talk, but they fell to his thighs with a slap as everything he had left him.

Everything was happening one after another, so fast he felt like he couldn’t keep up.

“Nico?” Jason took a step toward him.

“Do you remember Will?”

He stopped, frozen in place for a moment. He gave Nico a weak smile that twitched at one corner. “Your friend from your drawing class?”

“Yeah.” Nico wrung his hands in front of him. “Well, the thing is, um…” He took a breath while Jason watched him. If he’d just look away, Nico could say what he needed to. Maybe.

But he had no right to ask that of him.

“I sort of, for a while-”

Jason sighed. “You like him.”

Nico stared at him, mouth open. “You knew?”

“No.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I knew he liked you, but I didn’t think it was reciprocated.” He grabbed a fistful of his hair. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t think he liked me. When I found out, we were already dating, so it didn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters. I wouldn’t have made you stay with me if I’d known. I never wanted to make you unhappy.”

“You didn’t make me do anything.”

Jason almost smiled at that. “Well, there’s only one thing left to do.” He disappeared into his room and came back out, putting on a shirt. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?”

Jason didn’t look at him as he put on his shoes. “To tell Will.”

“What?”

He stood up, holding his hand out to Nico. “We’re gonna get you your prince.”

Nico blushed. He’d told Jason that daydream in confidence three years ago, yet he was bringing it up right in front of Piper. “There’s no point. He has a boyfriend.”

“So you’ll change that.”

“No, I won’t.”

“You will.” He stood, taking Nico’s hand.

“No, Jason. He hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you.”

“He does.”

“Nico. No one who looks at you like that could hate you.” He squeezed Nico’s hand. “Trust me.”

Nico took a very deep, very long breath, closing his eyes. He nodded. “All right, then. Let’s go.”


	26. Come clean, part two.

Nico gripped Jason’s hand so tight his own hurt as he stared down the hall that lead to Will’s apartment. His head felt light, his chest cold, and his fingertips of his free hand were going numb. He felt like he hadn’t eaten anything in four days.

“Nico?”

He shook his head. “I can’t do it.”

“You can.”

He continued shaking his head, his heart in his throat. “I can’t. I really can’t.”

“Nico. Nico, hey.” He took Nico’s face in his free hand, turning his head up at him. “You have literally nothing to lose.”

“He’ll never speak to me again.”

“He’s not speaking to you now.”

“He’ll hate me.”

“He won’t.”

“He will. He already hates me.”

“Well, then, nothing will change.”

He started, watching Jason.

“Look, Nico. There’s a distinct possibility that Will’s in there, waiting for you to come to him.”

“You think so?”

“I saw how he looked at you.”

Nico swallowed. He nodded. “Okay.”

Jason lead him slowly to Will’s door. “All right.”

He leant down and kissed Nico for a count of three. When he pulled back, he smiled down at him. “Last one.” He let go of Nico’s hand and knocked on the door. “Go get him.”

He walked off, and Nico watched him until the door opened and he snapped his head back to see Cecil glare down at him.

“Um.”

“He’s not here.”

He slammed the door in Nico’s face, a brush of wind blowing his hair back and making him blink.

That was about right.

He heard a girl's voice, calm at first, then the two started to argue. The door opened again and she - Lou Ellen - stared at him.

“Um.”

“Will, Nico’s here!”

Cecil glared at him from the couch, twisted and leaning on the back. “You should have just let him leave.”

“That’s not your decision to make.” Lou Ellen put a hand on Nico’s arm and leant into his ear. “I’m rooting for you.”

He jumped when Will came around the corner from the hall.

He couldn’t do this.

“Um, can we talk?”

He thought Will might slam the door on him with the way he gripped it, but instead he stepped out into the hall, shutting it behind him. He crossed his arms, staring down at Nico. “Yeah?”

Nico twisted the point of one finger between two others. “Um.”

Will waited for a moment longer before rolling his eyes. “If you have nothing to say, I’m going back inside.” He turned away from Nico.

“Wait!” Nico grabbed his arm before jumping away. “Sorry, I just- That is- Um.” His eyes burnt, but he wouldn’t cry. He wouldn’t manipulate Will like that. “I have to tell you- to confess something to you.”

Will furrowed his brow at Nico, turning back to face him. “All right. What is it?”

Nico took a breath, closing his eyes. he made himself stand up straight. “Jason-”

Will sighed, loudly. “I don’t want to hear about Jason, Nico.”

“No, it’s not- We’re not-”

“You broke up with him?”

For a moment, Will looked completely shocked and defenseless, making Nico’s heart beat hard. Then it twisted into anger, and he glared at him more harshly than Nico had ever seen him. He looked like he hated him. “So, what? You come running over here, hoping I’ll just accept second place?”

“That’s not-”

“It’s not? Really? Then what is it? I’m listening.”

“Thalia was going to get disowned.”

Will shook his head, keeping his eyes on Nico. “What does that mean?”

Nico took another breath. “We were never dating. Jason’s sister came out, and she was going to get disowned for it, so Jason lied and said he was dating me, because he wouldn’t get kicked out.” He was motioning wildly, even for himself, watching his hands. “I like Thalia, so I agreed. I didn’t think you liked me, so I didn’t think it would matter.”

“You have got to be shitting me.”

Nico looked to Will, eyes wide, gaping. “It’s true.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that. It sounds exactly like the kind of drama your little group would cook up. What I can’t believe is that you never told me. After everything I put up with, after you kissed me, you still never told me.”

“Jason asked me not to.”

“I don’t give a shit what Jason wanted. You should have told me. I deserved to know!”

Nico drew his chin to his chest. “I know. I was scared.”

“Scared?”

There was a pause, and Nico looked up to see Will had deflated a little.

“What were you so scared of?”

“That you’d hate me.”

Will gave a bitter laugh. “You’re so selfish. You hurt me, Nico.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I hurt everybody.”

Will began to pace, taking three steps one way, then two the other. “So, what now? What’s this? I’m with Mitchell now.”

That must have been the guy from Psych.

“I know.”

Will stopped, staring at Nico with wide, watering eyes, looking terrifying, making Nico’s heart beat so hard it hurt. He grit his teeth, shoving both hands into his head and throwing his head back, flailing his body around in the same movement. “You won’t even fight for me? I fought for you, but you just say ‘I know’?”

“You-” Nico swallowed. His mouth felt like paste. “You want me to fight for you?”

“Of course I want you to fight for me! You think I’m just over you like that?”

Nico kissed him, pulling his shirt forward, wrapping his hand around his neck. He moved his body into Will’s. “I love you.”

Will wrapped his fingers into Nico’s belt loops, pulling him closer.

He pushed Nico into the wall, making a loud bang. Something inside the apartment fell, but Will didn’t let him go. He wrapped one arm around Nico’s waist, pulling him up. The other trailed up Nico’s side, moving under his shirt, making him gasp.

“What the hell!”

Nico tried to jump back, but Will gripped him tighter.

Cecil glared at them, Lou Ellen looking ecstatic beside him.

“What are you two doing?”

“Making out.”

Nico felt himself boil at Will’s bluntness.

But he hurt you, for months!“ Cecil pointed a finger at Nico, making him shrink.

Will started to release him, but Nico gripped him tighter. He couldn’t lose him again.

Lou Ellen grabbed Cecil’s arm. "We have some errands to run. We’ll be gone a few hours.”

“Lou Ellen!”

She winked at Nico as she dragged him away.

Will pulled Nico into his apartment, practically shoving him onto the couch. He leant over him, one knee on the couch, the other foot on the floor, holding him up. He kissed Nico again, his hand on his face.

Nico’s head felt fuzzy and hot. “What-”

He was cut off, but Will leant back just enough to speak, his lips still touching Nico’s. “What what?” He kissed him again.

“What about Mitchell?”

“We’re not together.”

Nico pulled back. “What?”

Will kissed him again. “He’s my ex. I wanted to make you jealous.”

Nico pushed on Will’s chest and he moved back with a huff. “So, wait. You’re not dating anyone?”

“Not unless it’s you.”

Nico felt a ringing in his ears as he stared at Will. “So, does that mean…?”

“I hope that means we’re dating. I’m not playing the waiting game again.”

“Yes.” Nico grinned at him. “Yes.”

Will kissed him again and he moaned. He felt Will smile into him.

He wrapped his arms around Will’s neck, pulling him down so he was laying on top of him. “I love you.”

Will kissed along his jaw, shifting himself so his head rested against Nico’s chest. “I love you, too.” He held Nico’s waist, shaking. “I love you, Nico.”


	27. New boyfriend.

Will did not like the idea of Jason coming over for their groups weekly movie night. He was pouting and clinging to Nico more than normal. Which meant that he hadn’t let him go for more than three seconds at a time.

“Percy and Annabeth are coming home from their honeymoon today. This is their welcome back party.”

He moaned, burying his face in Nico’s neck. “I just don’t like it.”

Nico twisted in his arms, putting a hand on his cheek. “I know. And I’m sorry. But Jason’s one of my best friends. I’m fine with some added boundaries for a while, but I’m not going to stop being friends with him.”

Will huffed. “I know that. But still.”

Nico kissed him. “I know. And you have every right to be upset.” He sighed, running his hand over Will’s collar. “But I promise, nothing will happen between us.”

There was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.”

Nico went to see who it was, Will shuffling awkwardly behind him, refusing to let him go.

“Hazel and Frank are here.”

Will caught sight of Frank and started. “He’s big.”

“He’s not the one you need to worry about.”

Hazel marched up to Will, staring at him with her hands on her hips. “You’re my brother's boyfriend?”

Nico could feel Will’s heart beat in his back. He couldn’t help but smile. He put a hand over Will’s and smiled at him.

“Yes. I’m Will. Hello.”

“Do you like my brother?”

Will’s arms constricted around him. “Yes. I like him very much.”

Nico blushed, accidentally locking eyes with Hazel, then looking down. He bit his bottom lip, grinning.

Hazel hummed. “And what are your intentions with him?”

Will rubbed his thumb on Nico’s arm. “Everything.”

“You are aware you’re his first real relationship, right?”

“What?”

“Hazel!”

She shrugged. “So, if you hurt him, I will hurt you.”

“Hazel.”

“Deal.” Will held his hand out and they shook on it.

Nico threw his hands up. “Unbelievable.”

Will kissed one of his cheeks at the same time that Hazel kissed his other. They both laughed, making Nico roll his eyes.

There was another knock.

Reyna rushed past them, tossing off her apron so no one else would see her in it. “Piper, Jason, and Leo are here.”

Will pulled Nico flush against his chest.

Nico took one of his hands, lacing their fingers together, and kissed the back of his hand. “It’ll be okay.”

Jason rounded the corner, stopping when he saw the two of them so Leo bumped into him. For a moment, he looked like he would break. Then he gave them a smile. It wouldn’t fool anyone into thinking he was happy, but it was an attempt.

Nico smiled back.

He held up a bag. “I brought Disney movies.”

“Ohh.” Nico made grabby hands for it, and Jason handed it to him.

Leo shoved past them, making Nico stumble out of Will’s grasp, and drop the bag.

“Leo!”

“It’s okay.” Nico held up a hand to stop Jason from storming after him.

“But Neeks.”

“Really. It’s okay.” He gathered up the DVDs. “I hurt his best friend. You and I would feel the same way.”

“I wouldn’t act the same.”

“No. You’d confront them directly, and I’d intimidate them for weeks. Reyna would lecture them until they wished they were dead, Hazel would lose her mind on them, Piper would subtly make them feel inhuman amounts of guilt, Frank would just give them disappointed puppy looks, Percy would give them constant reminders about how awful they are for months, and Annabeth would ruin their life with a few brief sentences. It’s just what friends do.” He held up a copy of Hercules and handed the bag back to Jason. “This one.”

Will grabbed his wrist, holding it so he could look at the case. “This is my favourite Disney movie.”

Nico looked up at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. Since I was a kid.”

Nico smiled. “Mine, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“And that’s my queue.” Jason put a hand on Nico’s shoulder and gave him a smile as he passed them.

Will wrapped his arms around Nico’s waist, put his chin on his shoulder, and gave Jason a pointed glare, watching him until he left.

“Really?”

Will buried his face in the crook of his neck, muffling his voice.

Nico couldn’t understand what he’d said, but he understood the gist. “I know.” He reached up and played with his hair. “But you have to be mature about this.”

Will grunted, making him laugh.

“Yes.”

Will sighed, his chest heaving.

“Please.” Nico kissed his ear. “For me?”

Will gave him a sideways glare, then sighed again with a weird groaning whine. “Fine.”

He put his finger on Nico’s chin, tilting his head up to kiss him.

Will slipped a finger through Nico’s belt loop, twisting it to draw him closer.

“Nico, can you help me in here?”

Will growled, putting his head back on Nico’s shoulder. “Seriously?”

Nico laughed, burying his face in Will’s hair. “I do live here. That makes this my responsibility.”

“Next week we’re just sitting around and making out on the couch while other people work.”

Nico bit his lip.

“Nico?” Will looked at him. “What is it?”

Nico looked away.

“Who’s house is it at next week?”

He looked at Will and blushed.

“Jason’s? Seriously?”

“I’m sorry. It’s always at Jason’s and Leo’s after ours.”

“No. Next week it’s at mine.”

“Yours?” Nico cocked a brow. “Doesn’t Cecil still kind of want me dead?”

“He doesn’t want you dead.”

“Will.”

“Okay, so he might want to sell you on eBay.”

“He actually said that?”

“Yes. Yes he did.”

Nico whistled. “Points for creativity.”

“Don’t worry.” Will nuzzled his neck. “I won’t let him.”

“Well aren’t you the number one boyfriend.”

“I am. Much better than Jason.”

“Okay, then. I have to go.”

Will pulled him closer. “No.”

“Yes.”

He whined.

“Nico!”

“Coming.” He put his hands on Will’s. “Look. I’ll make you a deal. If you let me go now, I’ll do whatever you want later.”

Will tilted his head up, glaring suspiciously at him. “Buffy marathon.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “God help me, this is going to be just like when Reyna made me watch the entirety of Xena.” He sighed. “Fine, Buffy marathon.”

Will smiled. “Good.” He kissed Nico’s nose. “You won’t regret this.”

“Too late.”


	28. Jealousy.

Hazel sat on the back of their couch, playing with Nico’s hair, while Will sat on the floor between his legs, hopping in on his conversation about Mythomagic here and there with Greek mythos facts.

There was a knock at the door, making everyone look up.

Nico scowled. “Why do you people knock? We do this every week. We expect you.”

Reyna answered the door. “It’s Percy and Annabeth.”

Nico gasped. “Plot twist.”

Hazel hit his arm. “Welcome back, you two.”

“Thanks.” Percy leapt over the back of the couch, sitting beside and leaning into Nico. “We got you all presents. Except you.” He looked at Will. “Who are you?”

Annabeth walked around and sat on Percy’s lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “Hello, Will.”

“Hey, Annabeth.”

“You know him?”

“Yeah, he’s Nico’s boyfriend.”

“Nico’s- What about Jason?”

Nico squeezed Will’s shoulder when he tensed. “We broke up two weeks ago.”

“What? Why?”

“Percy, can we talk about it later?” Nico looked to Jason, who had started playing with a chip, breaking off the little bits, staring at it intently.

Percy nodded. “Yeah. Later.”

He looked at Will, narrowing his eyes into a glare, leaning in really close to him, and held a finger up at him. “If you hurt him in anyway, whatsoever, you will beg me for death.”

Percy’s voice was deep enough to give Nico chills.

Will nodded, eyes wide. “You don’t have to worry. I don’t ever intend to harm my relationship with Nico.” He locked eyes with Percy. “Ever.”

Nico didn’t miss his insinuation, or the confidence in which he said it, even under Percy’s glare. He buried his face in Will’s hair to hide his blush.

Annabeth pulled Percy back. “Good. Now that that’s established, can we start the first movie?”

Hazel flipped off the light before curling up with Frank on the floor, and Will sat behind Nico on the couch, pulling him into his lap.

Annabeth wrinkled her nose. “Who chose Hercules?”

Nico and Will raised their hands.

“Oh.” She watched them with the wicked grin she wore when studying a piece of architecture. “Makes sense.”

“What?”

She put a finger to her lips. “It’s starting.”

As if she wouldn’t talk through the entire thing.

“Hera was not Hercules’ mother.”

And so it begins.

Around the time Hercules started swooning over Meg, Will decided it was time to start kissing Nico’s neck, making him hiss.

“What are you doing?”

“I love you, Nico.” He kissed the spot behind Nico’s left ear, making him shiver. “God, I love you.”

“I know, I get it. Just stop for now.” He looked around to see if anyone else had noticed. He saw Piper look away quickly and scowled.

Will pulled him closer, burying his face in Nico’s hair and taking a deep breath. “I love you.”

Nico relaxed, smiling. “I love you, too, Will.” He turned and kiss him quickly, then went back to the movie. “We’ll have time for this forever. But now isn’t the place.”

Will leant forward. “Forever? Are you saying-?”

“No. It’s way too early for that.” Nico looked around again, and again Piper looked away.

“I wouldn’t mind.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Check again in five years.”

Will muzzled into his neck. “I will. I absolutely will.”

Nico put a hand on his face to cover his blush. “Just watch the movie.”

“But I like watching you more.”

“Oh my god, Solace. Movie.”

Will hummed, kissing his neck again.

“Will!”

Several people, even Annabeth, shushed him.

When Will tried to kiss him again, Nico sunk down so Will’s arms were wrapped around his upper chest, and he was practically on the floor.

When Will tried to pull him back up, Piper sprawled over Nico’s lap, causing the two of them to burst out in giggles so incessant they had to stop the movie.

Leo groaned. “It’s like Percy and Annabeth all over again.”

Percy made an offended noise. “We are way grosser than them.” He and Annabeth high fived.

Will, with a grunt, pulled Nico into his lap. “Wanna bet?”

Reyna smacked the back of Leo’s head. “Now look what you’ve done.”

Will and Percy glared at each other. After a full minute of their staring contest, Will stood up and dragged Nico out of the apartment.

“Wait. Will, where are you taking me?”

“To a public place to make out.” He slammed the door behind him.

“Like hell you are! What’s gotten into you?”

Will seemed to deflate as they went down the stairs, coming to a stop at the bottom. He watched the floor and sighed.

Nico took tentative steps to his side. “Will?”

“Sorry. I guess I’m still not okay with the whole Jason thing yet.”

“I don’t expect you to be. I understand it’s going to take some time.”

“I know. It’s just, I’m never this jealous. Even when I’ve been cheated on, I was never like this. I was jealous of Percy, just because I knew you used to like him, years ago.” He looked up at Nico. “I don’t want to be like this.”

“Hey.” Nico took his face in his hands. “You won’t. We just need to develop some trust between us. This has been an ordeal, but we’ll get through it. At least.” Nico took a breath. “I want to get through it.”

Will put his hands on the backs of Nico’s. “I do, too.” He leant down and put their foreheads together. “I really do want to spend the rest of my life together with you.”

Nico’s heart beat fast and hard at the way Will looked into his eyes as he said that. “Like I said, ask again in five years.”

Will gave him a very, very slow kiss that numbed his mind.  "I will.“ He kissed him again. "And every day after-” Again. “-until you say yes.”

Nico’s legs wobbled under him, and Will kept him up by guiding him against a wall and twisting his fingers into his belt loops.

“Should we go somewhere private?”

Nico pulled him down. “No. Let’s win the gross award.”

Will made a guttural sound, biting Nico’s lip so he had to catch him when his legs gave out.

Nico covered his face, while Will laughed. “Private is good.”

Will helped him stand back up. “Let’s go to my place. We can gross out Cecil.”

Nico chuckled. “That works.”

Will tried to carry him, but he nearly plummeted them both forward when he lifted him.

Nico snorted, holding tightly to Will’s neck. “You have got to start lifting weights.”

Will scowled. “Like you could lift me.”

He smirked.

“Wait. You could lift me?”

He nodded.

“Shit…”

Nico laughed, hard and loud, and kissed him again.


End file.
